Pudina chutney

Name: Pudina chutney
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mughal tradition
Ingredients: 1 large bunch fresh spearmint (pudina), approximately 40g leaves, stems removed; 1 bunch fresh coriander (dhania/cilantro), approximately 30g, including tender stems; 2 green chillies (adjust to heat preference, serrano or Indian green chilli), roughly chopped; 2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; 2 cloves garlic (optional, some regional versions use garlic, some omit); 1.5 limes, juice only (approximately 40ml); 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste; 0.5 tsp sugar (optional, balances the lime's acidity); 2 tbsp cold water, to help blend

India's most universal condiment: a vivid green paste of fresh spearmint, coriander, green chilli, ginger, and lime, blended smooth and served with everything from samosas to biryani

Origin: Indian Subcontinent, Mughal tradition

From the journey of Mint.

Pudina chutney (पुदीना चटनी) is the green sauce of the Indian subcontinent; as fundamental to Indian street food as ketchup to the American diner, but infinitely more complex. The word chutney derives from the Hindi/Sanskrit chatni, from a root meaning to lick (implying something too good to leave on the plate), and this particular chutney; bright green, sharply herbed, fiery with chilli and fresh ginger; is the one that appears at virtually every street food stall and chaat counter across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It is served with samosas, pakoras, dhokla, pani puri, kebabs, sandwiches, and biryani; it is the sauce inside a vada pav; it is the green half of the red-and-green chutney duo that comes with virtually every Indian snack. The central herb is pudina (spearmint), but the real character of the chutney comes from the combination with fresh coriander: the two herbs balance each other, with mint providing sweetness and freshness and coriander providing earthiness and depth. The chilli (fresh green chilli), ginger, and lime provide the heat, bite, and acid that prevent the sauce from being merely herby. Pudina chutney is extremely simple to make and extremely difficult to improve upon; one of those preparations where the recipe has been so thoroughly refined by millions of cooks over centuries that every ingredient serves a precise purpose.

Ingredients

herbs

1 large bunch fresh spearmint (pudina), approximately 40g leaves, stems removed
1 bunch fresh coriander (dhania/cilantro), approximately 30g, including tender stems

heat

2 green chillies (adjust to heat preference, serrano or Indian green chilli), roughly chopped
2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

aromatics

2 cloves garlic (optional, some regional versions use garlic, some omit)

acid

1.5 limes, juice only (approximately 40ml)

seasoning

0.5 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

sweetener

0.5 tsp sugar (optional, balances the lime's acidity)

liquid

2 tbsp cold water, to help blend

Method

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Start with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Blend on high, scraping down the sides as needed, until completely smooth; the chutney should be a vivid, uniform green with no visible herb pieces.
Taste. The chutney should be bright, herby, distinctly minty, fiery from the chilli, and properly sharp from the lime. Adjust salt, lime, and chilli to taste.
Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container. Pudina chutney is at its best freshly made but keeps refrigerated for 2-3 days. The colour darkens over time but the flavour remains good.

Notes

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is the correct mint for pudina chutney. Peppermint would produce a medicinal-tasting sauce. The coriander-to-mint ratio can be adjusted: a 60:40 coriander-to-mint ratio makes a slightly earthier sauce; 50:50 is classic; 60:40 mint-to-coriander makes a brighter, more mint-forward version. Some North Indian versions add a teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds for smokiness. Greek yogurt can be stirred in to make a mint-herb yogurt dip.

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control