Mint Chutney
A bright green chutney of fresh mint and coriander, green chilli, lemon juice and cumin, blended smooth for chaats, kebabs and samosas.
Photograph credit: Pudina Chutney by Ramesh NG · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
A table of six sitting down to kebabs, samosas and a plate of chaat needs a good green chutney, and it takes 10 minutes. Mint chutney is the sharp, fresh counterpoint to anything rich or fried.
Two things keep it green. The first is ice: add a couple of ice cubes to the blender and the chutney stays cool, so the herbs do not discolour from the friction of the blades. The second is acid. Lemon juice added at the end holds the colour for hours. Blend, taste, and adjust with lemon and salt. Salt brings out the mint.
Use mostly mint leaves with a smaller handful of coriander. All mint is bitter, all coriander is flat. The two together are balanced. Green chillies supply the heat; use two for mild and four for hot, and remove the seeds if you want less.
A spoonful of yoghurt turns the chutney creamy and mild, a good choice for children. Without it, the chutney is sharp and thin enough to drizzle.
The Method for Mint Chutney
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Put the mint, coriander, chillies, cumin, sugar, salt, lemon juice and the ice-cold water in a blender.
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Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides once.
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Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice. Serve at once or chill.
Tips That Matter
- Add a spoonful of plain yoghurt for a creamy version.
- Use fresh, perky herbs; wilted ones taste bitter.
- Keep the chutney covered so it does not darken.
Ingredient Swaps
- Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the green chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
Pairs Well With
Samosas · Tandoori chicken · Chaat · Sandwiches
Leftovers and Storage
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days; it darkens slightly. Freeze in ice cube trays for up to 1 month.
Nutrition per Serving
No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (most of the energy comes from foods with no recorded source). Why some recipes have none.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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