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. 

Spicy affair

It’s been a season of bingeing, what with the festivals of Lohri and Sankranti which are synonymous with til ladoos, gajak, rewari, all yummy goodies but fattening too! Then it was also the wedding season ... so more mithai and of course added to that it was winters, the cold weather  makes you all the more ravenous and one can't seem to have enough of  the seasonal specialties like methi and cauliflower paranthas.

I was loathed to step on the weighing scale knowing that it wouldn't lie, healthy eating was in order, starting with breakfast and what could be better than munching on sprouts which are packed with nutrition, taste good and are easy to prepare, just need a dash of lemon and some chaat masala and pronto they are ready.

Chaat masala is a mix of spices that can be sprinkled on almost anything from fresh fruits, to snacks, to pakoris (fritters) and even fries, the tangy flavor adds a lot of zing to any dish. It’s the perfect seasoning for all kinds of chaat and is an integral part of Indian street food - like alu chaat and sweet potato chaat (a winter specialty).

One can go in for the readymade mix but if you, like me, are partial to eating freshly ground masalas (spices) then here is a tasty, spicy chaat masala recipe for you. Buy good quality whole spices and grind them individually before making the chaat masala. I make it in small batches so that the freshness remains.

Whole spices 

CHAAT MASALA

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (roasted and powdered)

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

1/2 teaspoon dry ginger (ground)

1/4 teaspoon dry mint (powdered)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

1 teaspoon black salt

3 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchoor)

1 teaspoon salt

Mix the powdered spices and store in an airtight container. This condiment keeps well for a long time. The taste and flavor of home ground spices is unparalleled and having tasted it once you will be hooked to making this masala at home. The very taste of this Indian seasoning does wonders to virtually any dish! Try it and you would stop buying the processed mix variety.