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Schezwan Chutney Recipe

Time and servings

Nutrition

Per box.

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About Schezwan Chutney

It is basically a spicy and flavored condiment recipe, believed to have originated from the Sichuan province of China. Basically, the Schezwan chutney or Szechuan Sauce is a popular spicy chilly garlic chutney known for its myriad uses. Even though it originated in China, it has been adapted and has become more popular in India, particularly in Street Food Cuisine. It is typically served as a dip or taste enhancer with different types of snacks but has myriad use cases. There are many different ways a simple and spicy Szechuan Sauce recipe can be prepared. However, in India, the street style sauce or thick textured chutney is more popular as its use is further extended. The same chutney can also be used to make noodles and fried rice thus extending its use cases. In addition, the street style does carry a hint of sweetness, mainly due to the use of Kashmiri red chilies and a small quantity of sugar.

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Why does this recipe work?

The recipe is simple and works with almost every other Indian cuisine recipe. But a few significant factors make it super popular are –
  1. Dashing Flavor – Due to the use of chilies and fresh garlic, it carries a strong bold flavor with a hot and sweet taste. Thus it can be a dip, chutney, or even a taste enhancer for almost any Indian breakfast or snack recipe.
  2. Taste Enhancing – Apart from using it as a dip and chutney, the chutney can also be added to any gravy or mains recipe. When added to simple noodles or fried rice, the taste just gets elevated.
  3. Shelf Life – Due to the nature of cooking and the set of ingredients used, the shelf life of this recipe is improved significantly. This can be stored for 1-2 months easily in an airtight container.
  4. Myriad Use Cases – If the chutney is made with a thick texture, it can be used as a dip, chutney, condiments, or taste enhancer and used in gravies, and street-style fried rice recipes.
  5. Versatility – The recipe can be made easily with the simple and basic ingredients easily available in any kitchen pantry. Also, the recipe can also be extended and experimented with by adding other basic ingredients to match individual taste preferences.

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Ingredients

  • 50 grams kashmiri red chilli
  • 50 grams spicy dried red chilli
  • water (for soaking)
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 cup garlic (finely chopped)
  • ½ cup ginger (finely chopped)
  • 3 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp pepper powder
  • 1 tsp salt

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Instructions

  1. Firstly, in a bowl take 50 grams kashmiri red chilli and 50 grams of spicy dried red chilli. Make sure to deseed the chilli to reduce the spice level.
  2. Soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
  3. Cool completely, and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
  4. In a pan heat ½ cup oil, add 1 cup garlic and ½ cup ginger.
  5. Fry until the garlic and ginger turns aromatic. make sure not to brown the garlic.
  6. Add in prepared chilli paste and mix well.
  7. Continue to cook until the oil separates.
  8. Now add 3 tbsp tomato sauce. 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp pepper powder, and 1 tsp salt.
  9. Mix well making sure everything is well combined and the oil separates.
  10. Finally, cool completely, and Schezwan Chutney Recipe is ready to enjoy for up to a month.

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Step-by-step

1
Firstly, in a bowl take 50 grams of Kashmiri red chilli and 50 grams of spicy dried red chilli. Make sure to deseed the chilli to reduce the spice level.
2
Soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
3
Cool completely, and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
4
In a pan heat ½ cup oil, add 1 cup garlic and ½ cup ginger.
5
Fry until the garlic and ginger turns aromatic. Make sure not to brown the garlic.
6
Add in prepared chilli paste and mix well.
7
Continue to cook until the oil separates.
8
Now add 3 tbsp tomato sauce. 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp pepper powder, and 1 tsp salt.
9
Mix well making sure everything is well combined and the oil separates.
10
Finally, cool completely, and Schezwan Chutney Recipe is ready to enjoy for up to a month.Schezwan Chutney Recipe

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Video

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Tips

The recipe is super simple to prepare and can be prepared by almost enthusiastic cooks. Yet you may need to consider these points before you try –
  1. Choice of Red Chillies – The red chillies are key ingredients for this recipe and the correct selection is significant for its taste and flavor. Kashmiri red chilies are the best recommended one but Byadagi red chilies can also be the second best chilies.
  2. Spice Level – Even though the chutney uses a large number of red chilies, it does carry a medium to hot spice level. The spice level can be further reduced by adding more sugar or adding a fine paste of cashew nuts or almonds.
  3. Texture – The chutney carries a thick texture like all other Indian chutney. This texture helps to make it multipurpose. However, it can also be made as a sauce but its usability can be reduced significantly. Hence plan it accordingly depending upon your use.
  4. Frying in Oil – The raw past of chili and garlic should be properly sauteed so that all the raw taste and flavor are gone. The chutney should be cooked till it starts oozing out oil. This also helps to improve the shelf life and taste.
  5. Customization – The recipe can be easily experimented with by adding other popular ingredients. It can take tomato paste, ground or finely chopped bell pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, and even nut powder.

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Notes

  • Firstly, make sure to add a generous amount of oil to increase the shelf life.
  • Also, vinegar acts as a preservative and is acetic acid, which gives a sour taste and pungent aroma.
  • Additionally, you can make smooth or coarse paste depending on the consistency you are looking for.
  • Finally, the Schezwan Chutney Recipe tastes great when prepared spicy.
Original recipe by Hebbar’s Kitchen: https://hebbarskitchen.com/schezwan-sauce-recipe-schezwan-chutney/