Thursday, January 3, 2013

Cilantro chutney, Indian style

This is an extremely common condiment in Indian cooking, I didn't get Mahesh's mom's recipe for this so I googled a recipe online that is good also. We use this on those potato masala burgers from Trader Joe's, on samosas, and much much more.

Ingredients:
  • 1 big bunch of Cilantro (coriander), chopped
  • 3 green chilis such as jalapeno or serrano, chopped (or just add some tabasco to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 1/2 inch ginger (this means 1/2 inch of an approx. 1 inch round root)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (also called jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Pinch of asafetida (hing) -- make this a really small pinch or you will overwhelm the rest of the flavors. 
Method:
  1. Blend all ingredients, except the cilantro, into a paste.
  2. Add the cilantro, a little at a time, and blend. If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. The water will help in blending.
  3. Blend well and add more salt, green chilies, or lemon juice to taste.
Tips:
  1. Using little oil and sugar help keeping the color fresh.
  2. You can make this chutney in large quantities in advance and freeze it in ice cube trays. When ready to serve, defrost as many cubes of hari chutney as needed. If you freeze the chutney immediately after preparing, the chutney will not lose its bright green color and freshness.