Chutney is better pronounced as “Chuht-nee”. Although better related to the cuisines from South India, the chutney is crucial to the Indian Cuisine as a whole as Indians love spicy food enhanced with the deep flavours of different types of chutneys. Any Indian 3-course meal is incomplete without the chutney. North, South, East, or West, chutney is very popular with people.
Some chutneys are sweet, some are more savoury and spicy and others bitter. For instance, the coconut chutney in South India is on the sweet side of the spectrum and the garlic chutney in North India is more spicy. But all of them are equally enjoyable and lift up your spirits every time you consume them!
Chutney is a blend of flavoursfrom two or more vegetables or fruits. It can be blended fresh and can be prepared in a wide variety.
To begin with the Chutney recipes, let’s begin with the simplest of all – the mint coriander chutney.
Health Benefits :
Normally, one tbsp of a generic chutney contains 25 calories. It consists of 0.05g fats, 6.26g carbs, and 0.23 g protein. Depending on the main ingredient of the chutney they can help with various digestive issues.
Several chutneys are rich in Vitamin C, such as coriander, mint, garlic etc. All these are very efficient anti-oxidants and are essential for a healthy gut.
Feeling the need to spice up your food a little bit without compromising a healthy diet? Look no further, just put your chutney in the lunch box or food storage container and you are in for a fresh treat after long hours at work!
Ingredients
fresh mint leaves - chopped: 1 cup
fresh cilantro – chopped: 1 cup
green chillies (according to taste): 1-2
ginger--chopped: 1/2 inch
ground cumin (optional): 1 tsp
lemon juice (optional): 1-2 tsp
salt to taste
Water as required: 3-4
How To Make Mint Coriander Chutney
- Pick out the tender stem and leaves from the bunch of cilantro.
- Do the same with the bunch of mint leaves, but do not include the stem of mint leaves as it can taste sour.
- Wash these leaves very well in a colander and drain well. The set aside.
- Blend all the above ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add 3-4 tbsp of water as needed to get the consistency of a chutney.
- Transfer chutney to an air-tight container and keep it in refrigerator.
- Serve this delicious chutney with samosa or pakora (fried fritters).
Popular fruits and vegetables for chutney :
Fruits like mango, cranberry, apple, fig, pear, pineapple and plum are great chutney ingredients. As for vegetables, tomatoes, onions, eggplants, and rhubarb are great choices. With regards to spices, popular selections include cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, lemon, mustard seeds, peppercorns, chilli and fennel.
Trivia :
The chutney, which so many people have a taste for all over the world, first originated in North India where it was called ‘chatni’ in the ancient vernacular. Chatni or Chutney stems from a Hindi word, which means “to lick”. Chutneys come in all colours and tastes with different preparation methods depending on the ethnicity.
Initially, chutneys were prepared as a sidekick to pickles in 500 BC but as people started experimenting both with spices and herbs for a fresh and relatively healthier condiment choice instead of fruits dipped in oil and spices (pickles), it gave rise to a whole new wave of nutritious sauces in India, which later became popular all around the world.
Some chutneys are sautéed and others are served fresh such as this mint chutney, which is usually prepared by grinding fresh mint with some cloves and coriander; chutneys like garlic chutney are served with a sauté of cumin seeds and mustard seeds.