Fresh Mint Chutney
A good chutney relies on the balance between the cooling nature of the herbs and the heat of the chili. It is the necessary sharp contrast to fried snacks and grilled meats, cutting through heavy textures with ease.
Watch your liquid ratio
Use only as much water as needed to get the blades moving; you want a thick, scoopable consistency, not a soup.
- blender or small food processor
- rubber spatula
- measuring spoons
What goes in.
- 1 large bunchfresh mint leaves, washed and stems removed
- 1 large bunchfresh cilantro, including tender stems
- 2serrano or Thai green chilies
- 1 tbspfresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbspfresh lime juice
- 1/2 tspchaat masala or salt to taste
- 1-2 tbspcold water
Maintain the texture
Pulse the blender repeatedly rather than running it continuously. This keeps the herbs from heating up under the blades, which preserves their bright, chlorophyll-heavy color.
The method.
Prep the herbs
Pick the mint leaves away from the woody stems. For the cilantro, you can keep the tender upper stems as they hold significant flavor.
Combine
Add the herbs, chilies, ginger, lime juice, and seasoning into the processor bowl.
Blend
Pulse three or four times to break the leaves down. Add one tablespoon of water if the leaves are stuck to the sides.
Adjust
Continue pulsing until you reach a consistent, thick texture. Taste and add salt or more lime juice if it feels flat.
Other turns to take.
Creamy Version
Add two tablespoons of plain, full-fat Greek yogurt during the last pulses to mellow the heat.
Nutty Version
Add a teaspoon of roasted peanuts or toasted sunflower seeds for an earthy crunch.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Pat the herbs dry after washing them; excess water makes the chutney thin and separates the solids.
If you want less heat, remove the seeds from the chilies before adding them to the blender.
Store in an airtight container for no more than 24 hours. The herbs will lose their bright green color and start to darken if kept longer.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my chutney turn dark brown?
Over-blending heats up the blades, which oxidizes the leaves. Pulse briefly and use cold water to help keep the temperature down.
Can I use bottled lime juice?
Fresh lime juice is essential here; bottled versions contain additives that alter the clean, sharp taste required for this raw chutney.
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