Boiled Peanut Chatpata

FINALLY this morning my housemaid and right hand, Ratna, arrived after an extended Diwali break, beaming a somewhat apologetic smile. The scowl that was forming on my face had no option but to also transform itself into a smile. Moreover, she had brought me a bagful of fresh groundnuts from their fields near Tumkur, and with that all was forgiven.

These healthful groundnuts are a great time-pass snack, boiled in salted water. Pushcart vendors boil them on stoves on their carts, the steam wafting a warm earthy smell that reminds me of village kitchens, and peddle them, stuffed in slim paper cones.

But Ratna went about it her own way. She spread a sheet of newspaper on the kitchen floor, spread the groundnuts on it, covered them with another sheet of paper and then began stomping them in a manner reminiscent of, but gentler than the vigorous crushing of grapes for wine. They made such a soft, crackling sound that I had a go at it too. It felt like gentle acupressure treatment for my bare feet.

That’s how they do it in their village, she explained, after which they’re washed thoroughly and boiled in salted water. That way, the salted water gets into the slightly cracked shell and infuses the saltiness into the kernels, she said, sounding very knowledgeable. Native wisdom. Additionally, I thought it created space for the kernels to swell up while boiling and made it easier to shell them afterwards. The shells went straight into my Daily Dump composting pot, from where they will eventually return unto the dust from where they came.

Boiled and shelled, it was now my turn to give the humble peanut a makeover.

For two cups of shelled peanuts, I chopped fine:

1 medium sized onion
Half a red capsicum (bell pepper)
Half a green capsicum
1 green chilli, deseeded
2 sprigs of green coriander

Then I tossed it all together with the peanuts, squeezing the juice of half a lime, and sprinkling about 1/8 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon of chaat masala. I didn't feel the need for extra salt, but that depends on individual taste.

This tasty snack goes well with a drink but is equally great as a standalone.