Indian Cilantro Mint Chutney

TL;DR

In Goa, a small state in western India, you will come across a chutney known as green chutney.

The green chutney is simply fresh cilantro and mint combined with souring agents and some heat. It's a flavor-balanced, not all too thick in consistency, classic chutney in India.

This particular chutney finds its use as a dip, spread or mixed into meals, and it's always prepared fresh and pretty much used the same day.

For this recipe, you will need a food processor, a blender with a small jar or a hand blender with a jar attachment.

Ingredients

• Cilantro — The freshest that you can get. Aka fresh Coriander leaves.
• Mint — Super fresh mint, whichever variety except peppermint. I think I had a Moroccan mint variety in the pictures and video.
• Chili Pepper — They use green elongated chilies in India, and it's an essential ingredient in a chutney, so you shouldn't skip it, if possible. You can use jalapeños as a substitution, if you can't get green chilies. In India, they just call them green chilies, and they never specify the type, so what they mean is mainly the Jwala, Bydagi, Dhani, or Kanthari green chili variety.
• Tamarind — A sour fruit, and I add Tamarind paste. You can substitute it with vinegar, as in apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar, which ever you prefer.
• Coconut — I have added coconut as an optional ingredient because it's hard to come by fresh coconut outside Asia and the Caribbeans. The chutney most definitely tastes better and turns out thicker with the coconut. Look out for fresh white coconut meat. Some Asian stores might sell freshly grated coconut or purchase a coconut and crack it open to expose the white coconut meat.
• Salt
• Water

In Goa, most Christian households will use vinegar, specifically coconut vinegar to make this chutney, but Hindu families will prefer to use any other souring agent such as tamarind.

I, personally, prefer this mint and cilantro chutney with tamarind as it adds not only a sour touch but also fruity elements to the chutney.

How to make it?

Step 1

Place all the ingredients into the blender jar or food processor.

That includes the fresh cilantro leaves, mint leaves, green chili, tamarind, salt, water, and optionally the white coconut meat.

Step 2

Blend to a smooth consistency or until there are no thicker junks left.

Step 3

Pour the chutney into a serving dipping bowl or use in food. (see my serving suggestions).

Serving

Traditionally in Goa, cilantro mint chutney is served as a dipping sauce or a sandwich spread.

So called, bhaji places, street food places or food hotels (food joints in India) serve the green chutney as a dip with samosas and pakoras such as onion pakora or chili pakoras or vegetable pakoras.

For special Goan Christian celebrations, such as a wedding, birthday etc., they serve small appetizer trays.

These trays consist of other snacks such as beef croquette, egg chops, shrimp rissoles etc. These also always include small sandwich triangles without edges, filled with green chutney and occasionally with butter as well.

Technically, the cilantro and mint chutney can be served with other Indian snacks and meals too.

Southern Indian Dosa (thin Rice Crêpes pancakes) come with various dipping sauces, such as this type of cilantro chutney, a red chutney and a white one.

Paul observed that he had also been given this chutney served with cooked rice.

Storing

This fresh green herb chutney doesn't keep that well, even refrigerated. It's best eaten on the same day.

The flavors change when refrigerated, but if you have some leftovers that you don't want to throw out, you can place them into small fridge containers with a lid.

Freezing can be tried, but thawing the chutney will result in a water chutney. I haven't seen anyone ever doing this because people in Goa prefer to just prep it fresh as the chutney comes together within minutes.