Coriander Chutney
Every Indian cook has his or her own personal version of this vibrant, zingy, herbal, (often fiery!) chutney, which is ubiquitous on Indian tables. The essential ingredients are coriander (cilantro), some kind of green chiles, salt and citrus. Usually ginger and sugar are included, and often mint and/or cumin, sometimes yogurt or unsweetened dried coconut. You can play with the proportions according to your taste and the available ingredients. Adjust heat by using less serrano, or by seeding (or not seeding) the chile or chiles first. Our recipe makes one that’s mild (1/2 serrano) to medium (1 serrano); use more, or leave in the seeds if you like fiery.
The chutney has a hundred uses. You can serve it with fried Indian snacks or appetizers like pakoras or onion bahji. With a dinner plate (butter chicken?), it’s a great condiment. You can spread it on sandwiches or stir into soups. Stir in a dollop of yogurt, sour cream or crème fraîche and extra salt, and it becomes an unexpectedly delicious dip for crudités.
It keeps for about a week in the fridge.
Makes about one cup.
Ingredients
2 bunches of cilantro, big stems removed (about 3 ounces, or 3 cups of leaves, packed but not tightly)
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1-inch cube of ginger, peeled and chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 to 1 serrano chile, seeded and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yogurt
Instructions
1. Place the cilantro, mint, ginger, lime juice and salt in the bowl of a blender with 1/4 cup water and blend till smooth.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or serrano chile if necessary. (Blend again if you add more chile.) Transfer to a serving bowl, stir in the yogurt and serve.