Category: Chutneys, pickles and raw yummies

What is the first thought that comes to mind when you think of chutney? Spicy 🌶! Maybe a bit sweet. And a bit tangy too. In Hindi we say aaaaah chatpata! Thika! Well in which ever language you say it, if you taste this chutney, you’re going to say…..delicious.

This chutney is made of fresh coriander and mint leaves and is best had in sandwiches. Yes! This is the ideal sandwich chutney.

Remember to wash everything that’s cut and chopped thoroughly, before it goes into the food processor.

And don’t forget to dip a finger in it, when it’s ready (and when no one’s looking) and lick it!!!!

So here goes.

Fresh Green Chutney

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups fresh coriander leaves and thin stems chopped

1 cup fresh mint leaves plucked

1 inch piece ginger

6 pods garlic

5 green chillies or more if you prefer

1 cup toasted peanuts

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon asofoetida

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon sugar

Juice of one lemon

Method

1 Put the coriander leaves, mint leaves, chopped ginger, garlic and chillies into a colander and wash thoroughly.

2 Into the food processor bowl, pour about 1/4 cup water. Into this put the turmeric, asofoetida, cumin seeds and salt. Now add the coriander mixture from the colander, and top it up with the peanuts and sugar and grind it. Add a little water if the chutney is too thick.

3. Remove from the food processor bowl, put it in a box, add lemon juice, give it a good stir, and there, it’s ready to eat!

You can store the chutney in a closed box in the chiller tray for 5 days.

In my last post I wrote the Madhur Jaffrey recipe for fresh green mango chutney. This time I’m going to give you the recipe of the way we make raw mango chutney at home. The chutney is sweet, because it has jaggery in it, sour, because of the mangoes, and spicy, because of the red chilli powder.

When my grandmother gave this chutney to my mom with delicious ghee chapatis, for school lunch, all her class mates would pounce on it and finish up her tiffin, even before she could get started.

Make this chutney as fiery or as mild as you want by adjusting the quantity of chilli powder and jaggery in it.

So here is the recipe.

Raw Mango Sweet, Sour And Spicy Chutney With Jaggery

Makes 2-3 cups

Ingredients

1 kg fresh green mangoes

5 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/3 teaspoon asafoetida

1 heaped teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

6 cloves

4 tablespoons jaggery

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Method

1 Peel and stone the mangoes and chop them coarsely into 1 cm pieces. Keep aside.

2 Heat the oil and put in the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop add all the spices, except the salt. Reduce the heat and fry for a few seconds, till fragrant, making sure the spices don’t burn, then add the mangoes, and stir. Sprinkle the salt, stir, then add the jaggery and stir and cook for 5 minutes or until the jaggery has melted and the mango pieces are soft.

3 Taste to check if you’d prefer the chutney spicier or sweeter and adjust the chilli powder or jaggery accordingly.

4 Remove from heat and let cool completely, before filling a jar with the chutney and storing in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

Mangoes, mangoes, everywhere! So what better than a raw mango chutney to make a meal even tastier. I just bought a kilo of mangoes from the vegetable seller and had to make this chutney for you.

I make raw mango chutney too, but I put jaggery in it and that dish tastes delicious. I will put the recipe on the blog next time. Its amazing how every region in India has its own recipe for mango chutney.

This chutney is from Madhur Jaffrey’s 100 Essential Curries. You need really raw, green sour mangoes for it. Stored in an airtight container, it should keep for a few weeks. Do taste the chutney five minutes before it is made and adjust the sugar, salt and chilli powder if you like.

Fresh Green Mango Chutney

Makes 600 ml (1 pint)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

675-900 gms (1 1/2lb) green, unripe mangoes

4 tablespoons mustard or olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)

6 cm(2 1/2 in) piece ginger, peeled and cut into fine julienne strips

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

5-6 tablespoons sugar or to taste

3-4 hot fresh green chillies

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

Method

1 Soak the fenugreek seeds in 6 tablespoons of water overnight.

2 Peel the mango and cut the flesh off the stone. Cut the flesh coarsely into strips.

3 Set oil over highish heat. When hot put in the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the ginger. Stir and fry it for 2 minutes or until it just starts to change colour. Now put in the soaked fenugreek seeds with their soaking liquid, as well as another 250 ml of water and the turmeric. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the mango, salt, sugar, green chillies and chilli powder. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered on a medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chutney is thick and the mango pieces are transculent and tender. Serve at room temperature.

 

This dish is an aside or an accompaniment that can be eaten with an Indian meal. It adds colour and vibrancy, is tasty and very healthy.

Raw turmeric is available only in the winters. You see it everywhere, in supermarkets, vegetable markets and in vegetable vendor handcarts. What can I say about turmeric? About it’s endless wonders to the human body?

Raw, fresh turmeric with ginger and green chillies

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

250 gms raw, fresh turmeric

15 gms ginger

3-4 green chillies

1 tsp salt

Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1 In a medium size bowl peel and chop the turmeric into small pieces. Peel and chop the ginger and add it to the turmeric. Next, slice the chillies lengthwise and cut them into quarters and add them to the turmeric and ginger.

2 Add the salt and lemon juice to the turmeric, ginger and chillies and mix well.

The salt and lemon juice act as a marinade, and the dish can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 3-4 days.