Tangy, Hot & spicy is what you get with the first bite. Nothing comes close to this versatile chutney which can be used as a spread for sandwiches and wraps, a dip when mixed with yogurt or lebneh, an accompaniment when ground with some coconut, or as is with some fried fritters where it cuts the oily-ness of the food or well.. with Mayonaise. I love it spread on toasted buttered bread any time of the day.
There are some recipes that I make just by feel. I don’t stick to the exact measurement’s because you can’t. The green chilies could be spicy or bland, the juice of the lemon and the salt … so it all depends on the ingredients.
And that’s exactly how I learned it from my mother…” a handful of this and a pinch of that” she says. I remember asking her ” but my hand is smaller than yours, now what do I do? ” I did not get an answer but she did roll her eyes at me.
This chutney I use as a spread for sandwiches, mix with yogurt as a dip or even to marinate chicken or fish. The absence of water used in this means you can keep it for longer in an airtight box or glass jar in the fridge.
My mom has a batch prepared every time I visit home. But when she makes it, it tastes even better.…maybe because its The taste of home. Of childhood.
Ingredients
Mint - 1 bunch
Coriander leaves - 2 bunches
Green chilli - 3-4
Ginger -2 inches
Onion - 1 small
Roasted bengal gram daal -1 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Lemon juice - 1 lemon or more as needed
Clean and pick both leaves. Coriander leaves with the stem but mint with out stem.
The coriander leaves has to be exactly double the mint. So what I do is I wash both and wrap them in a kitchen cloth till it drains all the water out. I use kitchen weighing scales. And weigh it out. ( you can do that if you want to be precise for eg, 100 gms is to 50- 60 gms)
Then chop the leaves, the green chilies the ginger and the onion and put into a deep bowl. Add the Bengal gram daal salt and half the lemon juice . The Bengal gram daal helps in thickening the whole thing and gives a little body to it. Mix it well.
Now to grind it, take half the portion in a blender It will release some water so it helps in the process. Add the rest of the leaves and add the remaining lemon juice a little at a time.
Taste for salt and lemon. At first it will taste really spicy but it mellows down a bit after the sourness acts on it. At the same time if you feel the spice is less add chilly a little at a time.
Once it’s ground to a smooth paste, transfer to a glass bottle or a box with tight fitting lid. the flavour improves the next day. Keep refrigerated and make sure you don’t use a wet spoon if you want it to have a longer shelf life. That’s if you don’t finish it first… it never stays very long in my house.
enjoy and savour.
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