Pudina Chutney

The chutney on every North Indian table

Green chutney turns up everywhere in North India: on a thali, with a samosa, beside paneer tikka and chicken tikka, or spread inside a sandwich. Pudina chutney is the version in which mint leads, usually supported by coriander so that the mint is not overwhelming. The balance is a matter of family habit. Mint-heavy versions are sharp and cooling; coriander-heavy ones are milder and sit closer to the standard green chutney.

Traditionally it was ground on a sil batta, a flat stone with a roller, which crushes the leaves without warming them. A mixer is what nearly everyone uses now, and it works well with a little care.

What turns green chutney dark and bitter?

Two faults spoil this chutney. Bitterness comes from mint stems and over-grinding. Mint stems are woody and sharply flavoured, unlike tender coriander stems, which are sweet and can stay. Pick the leaves off. Heat and air cause the darkening. A mixer's blades warm a small quantity of paste quickly, and warm cut leaves oxidise and turn the colour of old spinach. Hence the short bursts, ice-cold water, and a chilled jar on a hot day.

Lemon goes in last and briefly for the same reason. Acid slowly dulls the green of the leaves, so keep the chutney cold after it has been added. Roasted chana dal is a small and useful trick; it absorbs extra liquid, gives the chutney body so it clings to a samosa, and stops it from weeping water on the plate. Some versions use peanuts or coconut for this purpose, and each adds its own taste.

Rescuing a chutney that went wrong

If the chutney is too bitter, add a little more coriander, another pinch of sugar and a teaspoon of lemon. A spoonful of thick curd does more than anything else to round off the bitterness, but it changes the chutney from vegan and shortens its life. If it is too hot, more coriander and a spoon of roasted chana dal will soften it; chilli heat varies a good deal from batch to batch, so start low and taste.

A thin chutney can be thickened by grinding in another tablespoon of roasted chana dal. If it has gone pale and brown overnight, the flavour is still good, so use it in sandwiches or stir it into a marinade. A fizzy smell or sharp sourness in an old jar is a different matter: throw it away.

The curd version and other variations

The pale green dahi pudina chutney served with tandoori dishes and kebabs is made by whisking two or three tablespoons of this chutney into half a cup of thick hung curd with a pinch of chaat masala. It is the classic partner for tandoori chicken and hara bhara kabab. Make only what you need, as it does not last as long, and it is no longer vegan.

A chaat version uses less water and a little tamarind or amchur in place of lemon. Street-style sandwich chutney often grinds in a slice of bread or a few peanuts for thickness; bread means it is no longer gluten-free. Raw mango in the summer season replaces the lemon beautifully, with about a quarter cup of chopped flesh. Leave out the onion if you want it to keep for longer, and for a Jain table, skip the onion and ginger.

Storing it safely

Because it is raw and uncooked, the chutney needs care. Wash the herbs thoroughly, particularly if they came from the market with mud still on them, and use a clean, dry spoon each time you dip into the jar. Without onion, it keeps for three to four days in a sealed jar in the fridge; with onion, it is best within two days. Press cling film or a thin layer of oil on the surface to slow the darkening.

For longer storage, freeze it in an ice tray, tip the cubes into a bag and use them within a month. A cube thaws in about 10 minutes at room temperature and tastes very close to fresh. Mint is covered in more detail on the mint leaves food page. Using a chutney to carry flavour in place of a heavy dressing is a habit covered in healthy eating essentials too.