120gramsCilantro leaves with tender stems/Dhaniya,(5-6 cups packed tightly)
40gramsMint leaves/ pudina(2 cups packed)
12-15green chiliesor to preferred spice level
2” Long fresh ginger root
½teaspoonRoasted cumin powder/ jeeraoptional
1Lemonsqueezed
½cupwatermore to adjust consistency
Salt to taste
Instructions
Pluck the leaves and tender stem of cilantro and wash well in a mesh colander couple times to get rid of any soil.
Pluck mint leaves and rinse them well
Peel the ginger skin and pluck chili top and wash them too.
Add split gram to the mixer or blender.
Blend until it turns into a powder.
Now add in the water called for and top it with the rest of the ingredients.
Do not overfill the jar.
You can blend the ingredients in installment.
Blend for a minute until everything is smooth.
You may add 1-2 tablespoon more water to adjust the consistency.
Taste and adjust salt, lemon if needed.
Store as directed in the notes.
Notes
This is a no onion no garlic recipe suitable for Jains.Helpful tips to make tasty cilantro chutney
Pluck leaves and store them wrapped in a cloth or paper napkins up to 2 days ahead of time in the fridge.
Use a blender or a mixer to make the chutney.
Avoid food processor as it might give you a coarse blend like pesto.
You may increase the quantity of mint if desired.
Use peanuts or dalia to thicken the chutney for smoothly spreading on sandwiches.
Adjust the green chilies to your spice level.
Thin down the chutney with water for bhel and sev puri chat.
How do you store green chutney?
I like to make a big batch of dhaniya chutney and store it divided in the fridge and the freezer.
After making the chutney I store a portion of it in a small container in the fridge.
This chutney will stay good for up to 3 days refrigerated.
I freeze remaining chutney in small freezer-safe zip lock bags or small containers.
You can freeze green chutney in an ice cube tray until firm.
Once harden transfer the cubes into a zip lock bag and freeze until use.
How to thaw frozen chutney?There are 3 ways you can thaw green chutney –
Place the frozen chutney in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.
Thaw chutney over the counter. (Will take 2-3 hours depending on the frozen size.)
Thaw quickly on the defrost mode in the microwave. (May take 1-2 minutes depending on the approx. weight.)
How to retain the bright green color of the chutney?Cilantro mint chutney tends to darken or turn black in a few hours after it is made.The color may look unappetizing but it is safe to consume it.This mainly happens if mint or tomato is added to the chutney.If you are not planning to use the chutney as soon as you make it then freeze it according to the directions mentioned above.I generously add lemon juice to keep the chutney bright green (Mom’s tip).Always blend in some dalia (bhuna chana) or peanuts to keep the chutney bright green.You may add some yogurt to the chutney just before serving to lighten the color.Avoid adding tomato to the chutney if you are not serving the chutney the same day.How to thicken green chutney?One of my friends thickens hari chutney using farsan i.e a fried snack like sev. In my opinion, is quite unhealthy.My preferred method of thickening green chutney is using bhuna chana or peanuts.These ingredients are healthier, vegan and gluten-free too.
Variations
Though you can use these variations interchangeably with any warm or cold Indian snack here is a quick alteration and breakdown on how I like to use it -Cilantro mint chutney for chatThe recipe given is a perfect accompaniment if you are looking for an authentic Indian cilantro mint chutney.Pairs well with –All Chat items like samosa, kachori, pakoras, bhel and sev puri.Great with vada pav, parathas, khaman dhokla, chapati, adding to sabji or gravy.Makes a tasty oil-free salad dressing.Spicy green chutney recipe for sandwichesTo the base, chutney recipe add 4-5 extra green chilies and omit the mint.Roadside sandwich carts in Mumbai make chutney without mint for sandwiches.Pairs well with -All types of toast, grilled or plain Indian sandwiches, parathas, addition to sabji’s.Cilantro coconut peanut chutney for dosaAdd ¼ cup fresh or desiccated coconut to the given chutney recipe.Swap dalia for peanuts and increase water by a ¼ cup or more to adjust the consistency.You may top the chutney with a hing, curry leaves, mustard seed, cumin, and urad dal tadka.Pairs well with -This chutney tastes with South Indian food like idlis, dosas or vadas.Punjabi hari chutneyAdd 3 cloves of garlic, 1 small green tomato or ¼ cup chopped capsicum (green bell pepper), 1 teaspoon sugar and omit the daliya completely.This chutney will be quiet dark in color and not very thick.Pairs well with –Samosas, pakoras, parathas , dhokla, vadas.Indian restaurant style green chutney with curd/yogurt.Reduce the green chilies to make the chutney mild. Swap 3 tablespoons water with an equal amount of yogurt.Pairs well withPapad, parathas, Indian chat like sev puri, bhel, samosas, pakoras, and salads.