Peanuts Upkari (Bhaji).

“Peanuts Upkari (Bhaji)” … Peanuts are very versatile nuts that can be adapted while cooking many a dishes. Thye are also known as Kadlo / Ground Nut / Shengdana / Nelakadale / Moongphali etc. … Here is a simple and nutritious bhaji that can be relished as it is as an evening snack or for those in between hungers …....

Peanuts is a spcies in the legume or bean family and is also known as Kadlo, groundnuts, shengdana, nelakadale, moongphali, monkey nuts, pig nuts, etc around the world in different languages. Peanut area mainly called groundnuts as they are obtained from the ground. Popularly used as seed oil in India, peanut oil is very famous and is used in cooking in most of the households. These are delicious, crunchy, and nutty peanuts that are popular all round the world and known also for their immense health benefits. These are consumed both raw, cooked or roasted as per individual taste. Peanut butter is another famous butter prepared and consumed all round the world. It is used both as to apply on bread toasts or in cakes etc. Without running into much details of peanuts as it is always available in google search, I would like to go ahead with this simple recipe of cooked and spices peanuts that taste really awesome specially during monsoon and winter.

** Soak 2 cups of peanuts overnight in plenty of water. Drain the water next morning, rinse well and put it in the pressure cooker pan with enough water and cook to one whistle with pinch of salt and haldi / turmeric powder. Allow the pressure to fall on its own and then open and leave aside ready for preparation of bhaji.

** In a thick bottomed kadai, add in 1 tsp of oil, when hot lower the heat add in 1 tsp of mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add in a pinch of methi seeds, ½ tsp of haldi / turmeric powder, in 8-10 curry leaves, 1 tsp hing / asafoetida powder and 1 tblsp of sambar powder. Mix well, sprinkle some water if needed only. 

** Add in ¼ cup of freshly grated coconut and mix well. Now add in the cooked peanuts along with the water in which it is cooked and mix well. Cover and cook till almost all the water has evaporated.

** check and add in salt if necessary. Remove from fire and serve hot with a dash of lemon or as it is. I served it as it is as I like the cooked groundnuts spicy and fresh. You may follow any way you like it.

** Enjoy the masala peanuts with family and friends. You can take this in dabba / lunch box too. If taking in longer journey do not add in coconut as it is bound to get spoilt when at room temperature for more than 6 hours. 

** Note: If you do not have sambar powder or do not want to use the same, you can always add in red chilly powder and dhania~jeera powder to replace the sambar powder too.