Green Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch cilantro, chopped

• 1 medium sized unripe mango, peeled and chopped (should be green and hard)

• 1 whole jalapeno - deseeded or not depending on your heat preference

• 3/4 cup chopped mint

• Juice from 1 large lemon

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Water as needed

Recipe

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, adding water to thin as needed.

Note: A little water goes a long way, use carefully!

Q&A with the Aunty

*These are the exact responses with no edits or updates.

Q: How did you decide to add unripe mango to the chutney?

A: Green mango mint goes very well together. Summer time green mango is available in plenty. It gives a good smooth texture and right amount of sweetness and tartness.  Also there is no need for artificial sugar. If mango is on the sweeter side I add lemon juice. 

Q: You've had a lot of variations of this recipe over the years, why is this one your favorite?

A: Texture and flavor. Most natural ingredients.

Q: What are some things you might use this green chutney with?

A: Chutney goes with everything. Alu tkki, chips specially potato chips, bhel puri, papdi chat, dahi bada, pakora , sandwich, chila, alu paratha or any kind paratha, Dal chawal, Added to boiled potatoes and some extra chilli and little lemon juice is chutney waale alu, Generally this kind of alu chat does not have mint in chutney. Can be used to make chutney pulav, Can be put on pizza on noodles. Possibilities are many wherever your imagination and taste take you. Oh and you can add lemonade and get pani puri pani, You can freeze this and it will stay good for a long time. You can make a roti roll with some paneer bhurji and this chutney mixed with paneer bhurji. 

old mom

Versatile AF

My mom has been making this chutney for us since I was a kid, but I never really gave it any thought until the past few months when I was introduced to a super secret recipe (to be revealed in the a future post) using green chutney. Now I keep it in quart size yogurt container in the freezer. My family pretty much freezes everything so gravies and chutneys are an obvious candidate. Plus, this chutney thaws so well. You can cut off a chunk, stick it in the microwave to thaw for a single use, and put the rest back.

I'm not going to sit here and preach to you that MY mom makes the best green chutney ever, I'll let the recipe do the talking. Really though, I am not a believer in "the best ____ ever." For starters, everyone has different tastes. My "best ____ ever" might be someone elses "meh." That being said, this green chutney is amazing. The green mango is key, it adds a light sweetness and lovely tartness, which pairs so well with the mint. It also tempers the heat of the jalapeno, which makes it perfect for me. Green mango is no joke and the greener and harder, the better. Since you'll be using such a hard mango, use a peeler to remove the skin before you cut in. Chop it into chunks and toss it in with everything else! This is a good chance to take a piece and toss it in your mouth. How does it compare to a ripe mango?

What makes this recipe so special is how versatile this chutney is. Green chutney seems so basic. I mean, you can buy it in a bottle at the indian grocery store for $2.99, it's not exactly meant to be the star of the show. Somehow, this chutney is though. Some freakin' how, this chutney has found it's way into so many different things that I make: sandwiches, rice, chaat (obviously), even on top of dal chawal. I recently used it in paneer kati rolls, both inside the roll and as a dipping sauce on the side. If you want something nuttier, add some roasted peanuts. Further, this chutney isn't restricted to indian food just because it's called "chutney." If you're a believer tthat avocado belongs in everything, throw some in with a spoon or two of greek yogurt and you have a creamy green dressing. I keep thinking of more ways to mess with this recipe and find different uses for it, I hope you do too.