Panchamrut - The Spicier Type

Like everyone else, I have wonderful memories from school days. Our school timings were 12 noon to 5.30pm. Almost every girl in my class including me used have lunch before heading off to school. Still we friends used get lunchbox to eat in the recess. School had a rule to get only Roti-sabji and nothing else so everyone had chapati or jowar roti with some kind of sabji to go with it. My mom would always pack jowar roti with dab of home made butter and any sabji. We would share at least one bite of whatever we have with others around and eat rest. In one such recess, I tasted panchamrut from a friend's lunchbox and promptly told my mom about the sweet-tangy-spicy taste. Until then the panchamrut I knew was the one prepared for pooja using milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar and honey. But of course mom knew how to make the spicier version and told me that she will make it on Sunday. Why Sunday? She used to have more time to cook something different and that was the day we would get fresh vegetables including nice green chilies. I waited eagerly to help her to make this. And to my surprise the preparation took very little time and within 20-25 minutes it was ready. She made it every time I remembered the taste. Few months ago I read panchamrut recipe somewhere and it reminded the wonderful times in school and the time I helped my mom to make it.

I was buying chilies from a vendor in farmers market and asked him how spicy are these? Answer was not too spicy. Another guy asked same question to the same vendor while I was putting my chilies in the bag. His answer was - Very very spicy! You can try if you wish. My brother was on phone with me and heard the whole conversation and started laughing. He asked me what I was planning to make with the 'not so hot' chilies. I told him may be I will make khardha/thecha. But when I reached home, I changed my mind and decided to make this wonderful concoction. I hope you like it too!


(Recipe is adapted from Kamalabai Ogle's Ruchira)
10-15 Green Chilies (less spicier version)
1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
1/2 cup Jaggery
1/4 cup Peanuts
1/4 cup Dry coconut (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup Tamarind
2 tbsp Goda Masala/KaLa masala
Salt per taste
1 tbsp Oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, few curry leaves
Water as needed

Preparation -
Dry roast sesame seeds and peanuts.
Grind the sesame seeds after it cools down.
Soak tamarind in warm water for at least 20-25 minutes and squeeze the pulp.
Wash the chilies and chop them in big pieces removing the stems.
Heat oil in the heavy bottom pan. Make tempering as usual and add chopped chilies.
Saute chilies for couple of minutes.
Add tamarind pulp, little bit water, salt, goda msala, jaggery, sesame powder, peanuts and coconut pieces.
Boil it for 10-15 minutes. Adjust salt/jaggery per your taste. It is served at room temperature as a side dish like pickle or chutney. It is neither very thick or nor very watery.

Tips -
  • Original recipe calls for peanut powder but I used whole peanuts.
  • Please avoid using spicy thai chilies. This is not a very spicy side dish.
  • You can try making it with just 2-3 chilies before trying out a large batch.
  • It stays good in fridge for 8-10 days that is if you have any left by then ;)

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Comments

  1. This is one of my favorite too... infact this is my mom's vegetarian specialty which she prepares whenever we have guests around !

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  2. This is a new recipe to me..never heard about this spicy version...

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  3. My mother usually uses the Ruchira recipe too. Turns out fantastic every time. I wonder why I never made it; must amend. :)

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  4. Kamalabai's recipe is golden. I haven't made panchamrut in a really long time.
    Same amendmention in my kitchen too.

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  5. Your schoold day recesses made a very interesting read.. and the recipe is a very novel one to me..

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  6. My mother used to add boiled guava (Peru) cubes to it but no peanuts !!! Was tasted so yummy !!! Thanks for sharing
    - jay

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  7. My mother used to add boiled guava cubes but no peanuts !! Thanks for sharing !!!

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  8. The one that I am used to making is the Peru panchamrut.You can try the below recipe as well, it does not call for goda masala.

    Peru 1 big - deseeded and cut into pickle sized small pieces
    Dry coconut - 1/4 cup all sliced
    sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
    Peanuts - 1 tbsp and/or only ground is ok
    Cashews (optional) - 1 tbsp (can soak in water for couple of hours, but I put it directly)
    tamarind - 1 tbsp or as per taste
    jaggery - 1-2 tbsp or as per taste
    green chillies - 2-3 cut in big pieces
    fenugreek seeds(methi dane) - 1 tsp
    Phodni - Mustard seed,hing,turmeric, curry leaves and methi seeds

    Dry roast 1/2 of the dry coconut and all sesame seeds and powder it.
    Cut remaining dry coconut into lenghtwise thin slices and cashews in half.
    In a sauce pan, make phodni including methi and green chillies, add cut peru pieces, whole peanuts if using and cashews and stir add 1/4 cup water,cook till peru is soft but not broken,add powder mixture and stir till miced well. Add jaggery and tamarind and mix again well adding salt add peanut powder if using at this stage.
    Check for sweet and sour taste balance and serve ( can add coriander)
    cheers

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  9. Thank you Prajakta! I will be trying this soon.

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