Hot and Tangy Evergreen Chutney

As way back as I can recollect meals were an elaborate affair at my parents’ house with several dishes being made served with a host of accompaniments too. Salad, mooli ka lacchha (grated radish), green chillies in lemon juice, slivered ginger in lemon juice (the ginger would turn pinkish after it seeps in the juice for some time) and not to forget - the hot tangy green chutney without which the meal would seem incomplete. The coriander was freshly ground on the sil - batta (traditional stone grinder). My mom's view was that using the sil-batta instead of the mechanical grinder, resulted in semi-coarse chutney which undoubtedly was just the right amount of grinding and definitely added to its taste.

Hara dhania (coriander) chutney is a staple in my house too and if my kids are around then it’s a must, particularly with stuffed paranthas(flat bread) and pao bhaji. The chutney livens up the everyday fare and goes well with almost all the Indian meals. Notwithstanding my mother's mantra, sil batta has been done away with in favor of the mixer which makes things easier and quicker.

 The tip to getting a nice texture lies in using mostly the coriander(cilantro) leaves and not the stem, particularly if they are not fresh and tender. The leaves should be chopped finely so that it gets pulsed easily without having to add much water.

 I make different variations of this chutney depending on what it is being served with. If an accompaniment to samosa, khasta kachori, or with traditional pucca khana of western UP then I make it without onion and garlic with only green chillies and lemon juice. Here I am sharing my recipe of the chutney with onion and garlic. This tastes fabulous with chana kebabs, green peas pulao and works great as a dip too. Enjoy this versatile condiment whichever way you like.

Coriander Chutney

1 cup coriander, chopped

5-6 green chillies, chopped

1 small onion, sliced

3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled

Salt to taste

2 tablespoon lemon juice

Wash the coriander well and drain well to remove any excess water. Add all the ingredients to the food processor and grind it to a near smooth paste. Take it out in a bowl and adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.

This coriander chutney can if the chillies are really hot send you in a tizzy - but that said, you would never forget the tangy taste of this evergreen  dipping sauce - try it with pakoris (fried vegetable fritters) and you would know what I mean ... it sure sizzles.