Simple yet delicious Cilantro Mint Green Chutney is regarded as a quintessential element of all meals in Indian households. Any breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner spread is just incomplete without mint chutney, also popularly referred to as Green Chutney.
Most common and popular street food in India is Chaat, which can be made in many different ways and with many different components. However, one element that is common in all kinds of chaats is the Cilantro Chutney.
Cilantro mint green chutney is by far the most popular chutney. Hence, often when you hear the terms, mint chutney, green chutney, coriander chutney, cilantro chutney or Indian green chutney, they all are referring to the same recipe on Cilantro Mint Green Chutney presented here, which may be slightly different as per the individual’s choice.
What is Chutney?
The word chutney or chatni comes from a word ‘CHATNA’ which means ‘to lick’. Mint chutney is supposed to be so delicious that one will end up licking it up with the help of finger.
Mint chutney (Green Chutney) is supposed to be so delicious that one will end up licking it up with the help of finger.
With respect to other cuisines, chutney is similar to a dip, which can also be use as marinade, as a spread or as an accompaniment to any finger food. Chutney’s can be raw, cooked or dry powder based.
Most varieties of chutney usually have a spice factor and acidic in nature. However, there are sweet chutney recipes also.
Evolution of My Green Chutney Recipe
Every kitchen has its own version of green chutney customized to family’s taste. You can make it sour, tangy, mild or even sweet. You will find recipes both with and without onion/garlic. When served with tandoori appetizers, this chutney will likely have yogurt in it as well. I have many different variations of cilantro chutney depending upon my mood and what I am planning to cook over the course of next few days.
For me, when it comes to mint green chutney, I can’t make it without green mango. If I am not able to find green mango, I would rather skip mint as well and make it without mint. Once, I did not have enough cilantro, so added curry leaves to add more volume in it and Voila! I invented another lip-smacking version of cilantro mint chutney. This version is what I have provided the recipe for.
To increase the creaminess and further enhance nutritional value of chutney, I have added pistachios and pumpkin seeds. These are optional, you may instead add roasted peanuts or roasted dalia (split roasted chana). Some recipes also use bhujia sev (popular snack in India) as a stabalizer.
Why is Green Chutney so popular?
First answer is of course due to its lip-smacking taste, but also for its health benefits. Some of the main components of this recipe are cilantro, mint, green mango, ginger, curry leaves and spices.
Health Benefits of Cilantro (Coriander)
If you are a cook, you must have surely tossed Cilantro into your recipes for flavor and as garnishing. Other than the fact that green leaves look healthy, few people know that this everyday herb is loaded with fiber, iron and helps cleaning all heavy metals from the body. Cilantro, also known as coriander, is also capable of reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol and balancing blood sugar.
Mint – Health Benefits
Mint has been used in medicines from ancient time, and a popular herb that has been used in toothpaste, gum, candy and tea etc. since it has one of the highest antioxidant capacities. Mint is a popular aid for indigestion, upset stomach and gastric attack as well.
Green Mango – Health Benefits
Green mango, which has high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C and contains higher amount of digestive resistant starch or in other language probiotics which is important for optimal gut health. These antioxidant properties protect the body against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, raw green mangoes also help in weight loss, treating indigestion/constipation and prevent dehydration. Green mangoes increase the secretion of bile acids and clean the intestines of bacterial infections that helps in treating liver disorders.
Ginger – Health Benefits
Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional/alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that make it effective in countering muscle pains, osteoarthritis and indigestion. I use it in almost all my recipes.
Harde – Health Benefits
Harde or harad is a herb native to North India, predominantly Himachal Pardesh. Using this herb ensures intestinal health that works great for constipation and weight loss. It’s a part of famous Triphala churan which is known for number of health benefits. Harad also helps balance your doshas, clean out your stomach and improve digestion. It is also extremely beneficial for eyes.
So now it does make sense to have as an accompanied to most of your meals…isn’t it?
Storing Green Chutney for Extended Use
Making fresh mint chutney used to be a daily morning ritual in Indian households, however as lives are getting busier it is becoming more and more a task. In older days even my mom and grand mom used to make this chutney every day in the morning using sil-batta. Sil-batta is a kind of mortar and pestle used to grind the spices and leaves to make curry paste. As time have modernized, Blender took place of the sil-batta.
Without refrigeration, mint chutney needs to be consumed the same day. You can store mint chutney for a few days in an airtight container in refrigerator. However, with the technique presented below you can make once in bulk and have it available up to 3 months.
Make once in bulk and have it available up to 3 months
Mint chutney is freezer friendly recipe and can be freeze easily. Frozen chutney will keep its consistency and provide the same freshness and taste when thawed. However, once thawed, you cannot freeze it again and you’ll need to consume it within a week. Hence, freezing in one container is not advisable as it will force you to thaw the whole chutney batch.
Freezing the individual meal portion size cubes using ice cube trays as shown below makes it easy to use and convenient to thaw at the same time. Once frozen, the chutney cubes pops out easily and then can be stored in a BPA free zip-lock bag in freezer. This way when in need just take out a cube and transfer it to a refrigerator section few hours before you need to thaw and you will be all set.
Cilantro Mint Green Chutney Ingredients
- Cilantro – 2 fresh bunches with stalk (200 grams)
- Mint – leaves from 2 fresh bunches (100 grams).
- Curry Leaves – 12 – 15 sprigs ( 25 grams)
- Green mango – 1 to 1.5 medium size (400 gm) Adjust based on desired sourness
- Thai Green chilies – 15 to 20 in number (30 gm) Adjust based on your spice level
- Ginger – 3 inch piece chunked into small pieces (75 grams)
- Pistachio – 2 tbsp (28 gm)
- Pumpkin seeds – 1 tbsp (12 gm)
Spices
- Cumin seeds – 1 tbs
- Asafetida (hing) – 1/8 tsp
- Harde – 2 pieces crushed and pitted
- Salt – 1 tsp or as per taste
Cilantro Mint Green Chutney Recipe
- To make it easy for blender, roughly chops cilantro, green mango and ginger into reasonable size chunks.
- First blend green mango, green chilies, ginger, crushed harde, cumin seeds and astofitida in blender with¼ cup of water to facilitate the blending.
- Then gradually add all the mint leaves and blend.
- Then cilantro and again give a final blend.
Enjoy the cilantro mint green chutney with your favorite snacks or meal.
“For pleasure has no relish unless we share it.”
― Virginia Woolf, The Common Reader
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