This recipe is for a basic mint chutney which is usually mixed with yogurt and eaten with Pulao, Biryani, Kebabs or any curry of your choice. With mint, coconut milk and yogurt on the list of ingredients it is light and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day.
Chutney's are a type of condiment that date back to the year 500 BC in India. The word Chutney comes from the Urdu (Pakistan's native language) word "chaatna" which means "to lick". Whether sweet, salty, sour or spicy; their main purpose is to enhance the flavor of whatever you're eating
Whereas some of the more complex types of chutneys are cooked (for example, mango chutney or plum chutney) the majority are prepared by grinding a combination of fresh ingredients, traditionally in a mortar and pestle and nowadays in a food processor or blender. Some of the most commonly used ingredients in making these mouth watering condiments are mint, cilantro, tamarind, coconut, green chillies, limes, tomatoes, peanuts, mangoes and yogurt.
Mint Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 cup cilantro
- ¼ yellow onion (see notes)
- 1 serrano pepper (see notes)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp crushed ginger (see notes)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp cumin (see notes)
- ½ amchur powder (see notes)
- ½ sugar
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 cups yogurt (see notes)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the Cilantro and remove any thick stems (see notes)
- Peel the ginger and zest it.
- Slice the quartered onion.
- Remove the stem from the serrano pepper.
- Add all of the ingredients except the yogurt to the blender and pulse till you have a thin paste (see notes)
- Mix 1 tablespoon of the chutney per half cup of yogurt to make the raita.
- Freeze unused chutney in an ice tray for future use (see notes).
Notes
Nutrition
NOTES:
- Pea Shoots are micro greens that are high in antioxidants and carotene. They are not a traditional part of this recipe but I add them for their health benefits (it's a great way to get some greens in and the finicky family members will be none the wiser).
- the chutney puree is made and in my case frozen for future use, the yogurt being added at the time of serving as explained in step 5 of the directions.
- It is important not to use the stems for this recipe as they have a high water content and can make the consistency of the chutney very runny.
- Add the liquid first to prevent the greens from getting stuck in the blender blades. You can use a food processor if you prefer, but I've found that my blender gives a finer consistency to my Chutney.
- this serves my family of 5 during a single meal. So you can use as many cubes as needed for your party as long as you keep the Chutney concentrate to yogurt ratio consistent.
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