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Cilantro-Mint Chutney: Going Beyond Indian Food

2009_11_09-chutney.jpgI absolutely adore chutney. It offers sweet, sour and heat in one delicious dollop. Classically served with Indian food as a condiment, chutney can also harmonize with other dishes as I discovered last weekend when I served it on a tomato tart as a first course. Read on for recipe and pictures.

 
 

2009_11_09-tart.jpgIn this case, I took one half the recipe for Pim's Pastry Dough and a modified version of Slow Roasted Tomatoes (minus the garlic and basil) and made a tart. When it came out of the oven, I let it sit for about 5 minutes to firm up and then cut it into six servings. Each serving was garnished with a drizzle of the cilantro-mint chutney.

My untraditional use of chutney may have been influenced by the fact that it came to me in a very international way: from an Israeli woman whom I met at a Thai Buddhist temple in San Diego. She got it from a German woman who got the recipe while in India.

Mint-Cilantro Chutney
makes about 1-1/2 cups
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch mint
1-3 serrano chiles, destemmed and rough chopped
thumb-sized knob of ginger, peeled
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup golden raisins (I used golden)
salt
Juice from one lemon

Make sure your herbs are washed and dried. Pick the leaves off of the mint and the cilantro. Don't worry too much if there are some cilantro stalks--they have a lot of good flavor.
Stuff the herbs into a small food processor or blender and add the chile. I usually start with one because chiles can vary in heat. It's possible to add more later. Pulse the processor until the herbs and chiles are ground.
Add the ginger, cashews, raisins, a healthy pinch of salt and about half the lemon juice. Pulse again: the mixture should be pasty. Add a good splash of water--about 1/3 cup and pulse again. Taste and adjust seasonings. More lemon for sour, or salt or chili may be needed. If the mixture is still too stiff, add more water.
The chutney should keep in your refrigerator for a few days if kept well-sealed.

(Images: Dana Velden)

Tags

D.I.Y. Recipe, Sauce, Indian, tart, mint, vegetarian, cilantro, vegan, chutney, roasted tomatoes. Pim's pastry dough

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Comments (5)

My grandmother mixes cilantro chutney with mayonnaise for a really delicious and interesting sauce for corn on the cob and all sorts of bbq-ed foods.

Thanks so much for posting a recipe for it!

posted by tariqata on November 9th 2009 at 11:05am
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I love cilantro chutney so much - I could eat the one from the Hampton Chutney Company with a spoon! Thanks for posting!

posted by smallkitchcara on November 9th 2009 at 11:46am
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Always in my fridge. It's good with freshly roasted vegetables.

posted by art on November 9th 2009 at 11:53am
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Sounds delicious!

posted by eprewitt on November 9th 2009 at 4:29pm
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While i was pleading for a peanut and jelly sandwich for school lunches my (non-vegitarian, Indian) parents preferred to make a sandwich that featured this 'Green Chutney'. The sandwich included toasted bread, cream cheese, sliced cucumbers, and green chutney. I am NOT a vegetarian but just talking about this sandwich makes my mouth salivate. yall should try it out.

posted by suneet67 on November 9th 2009 at 4:33pm
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