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Raja mircha chutney
Naga ghost-pepper chutney with smoked tomato and ginger
Raja mircha, the king chilli or bhut jolokia, is grown in the hills around Kohima and Dimapur and was once ranked the hottest chilli in the world. Naga households pound it with tomatoes smoked in the embers, ginger, garlic and salt into a thick red chutney that is fruity, smoky and ferociously hot. It is eaten in tiny amounts with rice and boiled vegetables, and at the Hornbill Festival there are eating contests. Chef's tip: one king chilli is plenty for this amount; wear gloves, open the window when roasting, and keep the seeds if you are brave.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Roast 3 medium tomatoes over a flame or under a very hot grill for 6–8 minutes, turning, until the skins are charred and splitting and the tomatoes are soft. Roast 1 raja mircha (ghost pepper), fresh or dried for 1 minute until blistered. Do this by an open window.
8 minStep 2: Peel the tomatoes. Pound ¾ in ginger, 3 garlic cloves and ¾ tsp salt in a mortar to a paste, then pound in the chilli.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes and pound to a coarse sauce. Common mistake: using more chilli to 'make it Naga'; a single raja mircha already makes this very hot. Taste the tip of a spoon before serving.
Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp fresh coriander and 1 tsp lime juice if using. Keeps 5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does raja mircha chutney take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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