The State of Maharashtra in India with its capital city Mumbai faces the Arabian sea and is famous for seafood dishes. Coconut is an essential ingredient in Maharashtrian cooking. The food is mostly cooked in peanut oil and most of the curries are spicy and tart from chilies and tamarind. The thing that makes Maharashtrian food different from food cooked in other states is the use of dry roasted and ground nuts, like peanuts and cashews and sesame seeds. This is fresh chutney that can be served with dinner as a condiment.

2 Cups Green Mango peeled seeded and chopped. This is a tart variety of mango available in Indian and Thai groceries in spring and summer. If unavailable, you can substitute with any hard mango from grocery stores.

4 Cloves Garlic peeled

5 or 6 Hot Green Chilies

10 or12 Curry leaves available dried or fresh in Asian or Indian grocery stores.

1 Cup Chopped Coriander Leaves

1 Cup Fresh grated Coconut or unsweetened, dried and powdered coconut.

½ Cup Tamarind extract. This can be obtained by soaking a golf ball sized lump of tamarind pulp in half a cup of hot water for about half an hour and straining it out. Tamarind pulp is available at Thai or Indian groceries.

1 Tbs. White sesame seeds

½ Cup Raw, skinned and unsalted peanuts

2 Dried hot chilies

1 Tsp. Whole Cumin seeds

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Sugar

In a dry pan first roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin and chilies on medium heat and powder them in a dry grinder. In a food processor put the mangoes, garlic, chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, coconut, tamarind extract, salt, sugar and the roasted mixture and process until fine. Serve with dinner as a condiment.