Made using fresh green chili peppers, peanuts, and garlic, Green Chilli Thecha is a Maharashtrian condiment that is specially served with bhakri (millet flatbread). It is like a spicy chutney that perks up any meal. Learn how to make a traditional recipe at home (vegan, gluten-free).
If you are looking to make more Maharashtrian recipes, then try some of my favorites from the blog – Misal Pav, Bharli Vangi, Sabudana Thalipeeth, and Masale Bhat.
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About Thecha
Thecha is a Maharashtrian condiment made using green chilies and garlic. It is a coarsely pounded green chili chutney.
Made with just 5 ingredients, this one is extremely popular in Maharashtrian cuisine and is cooked in almost every household.
The first time I made green chilli thecha or locally called hirvi mirchi cha thecha, I was hooked on it. The spiciness from the green chili peppers and the extra punch from the garlic made it an instant favorite. Since that day, I often make it at home to serve as a side dish, as it perks up my simple everyday meals.
Thecha is super easy to make and gets ready in under 20 minutes. Its spiciness depends on the chilies used to make it. The more spicy your chilies are, the spicier your thecha will be.
Ingredients
You will need just 5 ingredients, Green Chillies, Salt, Peanuts, Cumin Seeds, and Garlic to make this spicy condiment.
Choose the chilies as per your liking. If you like mildly hot thecha, go for the light green variety of chilies that are milder in their spice level. and if you like it hot, then use dark green chilies.
You can use any variety of chilies that are readily available to you.
Peanuts add a beautiful crunch and also balance the heat a little. You can use peanuts with skin or without skin.
You can also add toasted sesame seeds or chopped cilantro to it.
Replace green chillies with red chillies to make red chilli thecha.
Add a little freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon juice) to make it tangy.
You can also give the ready Thecha a ghee tempering of asafetida (hing) and mustard seeds. Just heat 2 teaspoon ghee in a small pan. Once the ghee is hot, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and ¼ teaspoon asafetida and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds. Pour the tempering over Thecha and mix well.
How To Make Thecha
Preparation
Wash 150 g (5 oz) of green chilies with water and wipe them with a kitchen towel. Remove their stalk and set them aside.
Peel garlic cloves.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Make Thecha
Keep a wide heavy bottom pan on high heat. We need more surface area for the chilies to blister nicely.
A cast-iron skillet works best. You can also make it on a large iron tawa.
Add the chilies to the hot pan and saute on high heat until blistered (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals.
Once blistered, remove the chilies on a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 2 teaspoon vegetable oil to the same pan. It will get heated in just a few seconds as the pan is already very hot.
Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and ¼ cup peeled whole garlic cloves and mix everything. Cook until garlic cloves are blistered (2-3 minutes). Keep stirring frequently.
Transfer the cumin seeds and garlic to the plate along with chilies.
Add ½ cup of peanuts to the same pan and cook until they are lightly blistered (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
Transfer the peanuts to the same plate and let everything cool down for 5 minutes.
Transfer the green chilies, peanuts, and garlic mixture to a large mortar, pestle, and pound to make a coarse paste.
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can crush the ingredients in a food processor or a chopper. Just make sure to keep it coarse and not pasty.
Note – Do not use a blender to make thecha as it will make it pasty.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and mix well.
Once everything comes together, it is ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on how spicy you want your thecha to be. If you like it to be less spicy, use a less spicy variety of chilies, but if you like it to be nice and spicy, you can opt for a spicy one.
Yes, if you like to make a variation, you can use fresh red chilies too. Use the same ingredients and process, and substitute green with red chilies.
It will last 5-6 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Take it out from the refrigerator a few minutes before serving it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve hirvi mirch thecha along with Jowar Bhakri, Wheat Bhakri, or Rice Bhakri with some sliced kanda (onion) on the side.
Zunka and Pithla are mostly served along with it in a thali. You can serve it as a side dish with your everyday meals.
Thecha is served as a spicy chutney; a little goes a long way. Serve just 1 teaspoon of it first. People can later take more servings if they wish to.
I enjoy this green chilli chutney with Dal Chawal and some Batata Bhaji on the side. You can also serve it on the side with some delicious Mutton Curry and Bhakri.
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Recipe Card
Green Chilli Thecha Recipe (Maharashtrian Mirchi Chutney)
Ingredients
- 5 ounce green chilies (150 g)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ cup whole peeled garlic cloves
- ½ cup peanuts (with or without skin)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Wash the chilies with water and wipe them with a kitchen towel. Remove their stalk and set them aside.
- Keep a wide heavy bottom pan on high heat. We need more surface area for the chilies to blister nicely.
- A cast-iron skillet works best. You can also make it on a large iron tawa.
- Add the chilies to the hot pan and saute on high heat until they are blistered (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- Once blistered, remove the chilies on a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add oil to the same pan. It will get heated in just a few seconds as the pan is already very hot.
- Add cumin seeds and garlic and mix everything. Cook until garlic cloves are blistered (2-3 minutes). Keep stirring frequently.
- Transfer the cumin seeds and garlic to the plate along with chilies.
- Add peanuts to the same pan and cook until they are lightly blistered (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Transfer the peanuts to the same plate and let everything cool down for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the green chilies, peanuts, and garlic mixture to a large mortar and pestle and pound to make a coarse paste.
- If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can crush the ingredients in a food processor or a chopper. Just make sure to keep it coarse and not pasty.
- Add salt and mix well.
- Once everything comes together, it is ready to serve.
Prathima Pai
Enjoyed the authentic thecha. Thanks..