Chutney pudi is one of the unsung greatnesses of South Indian food - a dry powder that turns a plain roti, a bowl of rice, or even a slice of bread into something complete. The Karnataka version uses roasted peanuts traditionally; this one uses sunflower seeds for the same textural role but with a higher vitamin E content and a slightly lighter flavour that allows the chilli and garlic to come through more clearly. Mixed with cold-pressed oil or ghee, it becomes a paste. Sprinkled dry, it adds crunch to everything. Dry condiments like chutney pudi are one of the oldest functional food traditions in South India - the spice combinations were never arbitrary. For a pesto-style sunflower seed condiment that works equally well on pasta or wraps, the Sunflower Seed Pesto is the global version of the same idea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Earthen Story Organic Sunflower Seeds Shop ↗
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 - 6 dried red chillies (adjust to heat preference)
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp tamarind paste or ½ tsp amchur (dry mango powder)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp jaggery powder
Steps
- Heat a dry heavy pan on medium. Add sunflower seeds and dry-roast for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- In the same pan, dry-roast sesame seeds for 1 minute until they begin to pop. Add to the cooling sunflower seeds.
- Dry-roast the dried chillies for 30 seconds until they darken slightly and become brittle. Add to the seeds.
- Add whole garlic cloves to the pan and roast dry for 2 minutes until they are slightly charred on the outside. Cool.
- Once all ingredients are completely cool, add all of them to a small blender or spice grinder along with cumin, tamarind paste, salt, and jaggery.
- Pulse in short bursts to a coarse, grainy powder - not a fine powder and not a paste. The texture should be rough, like coarse sand. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
- Store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Serve mixed with coconut oil or ghee as a paste, or dry as a seasoning.
Key Benefits
- Sunflower seeds for the richest plant source of vitamin E Organic sunflower seeds contain more vitamin E per gram than almost any other food. As a dry chutney powder used daily, a small tablespoon per meal contributes meaningfully to daily vitamin E intake. Vitamin E deficiency is underreported in Indian dietary studies but is increasingly common in diets dominated by refined oils and processed foods.
- Dry chutney powder as a condiment with no fat added at cooking Unlike wet chutneys or oil-based condiments, chutney pudi is a zero-fat condiment that adds flavour, fibre, and minerals without any oil. The fat can be added later by the user according to preference. Seeds deliver their full mineral and vitamin content in dry form - no cooking required, no nutrient loss.
- Garlic for allicin and antimicrobial compounds Roasting garlic and then grinding it preserves a portion of its allicin content in a stable form. Daily consumption of garlic has documented effects on blood pressure and immune function. Light dry-roasting rather than deep frying preserves the volatile sulphur compounds in garlic that make this chutney genuinely functional beyond its flavour.
Explore more recipes like this on our Recipes page, or read our ingredient guides and food knowledge articles in the Discover section.
