This spicy and herbaceous cilantro mint chutney is the perfect Indian condiment to spread on sandwiches, dip your samosas in, and drizzle over chaat!
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What is spicy cilantro mint chutney?
Green chutneys are often dubbed the "spicy" chutney. They are the perfect condiment to dip fried food in and brighten up sandwiches with acidity and spice. Chutneys can either contain vegetables and fruits that are cooked down or can be made with fresh herbs and spices. The spicy cilantro mint chutney falls in the later category. It requires blending a few ingredients for a fresh condiment that is similar in freshness and punch to that of a salsa.
How do you make Indian green chutney?
Although there are many recipes, including mine which you'll find below, an Indian green chutney is a recipe that you can easily riff on based on what you have in your pantry or fridge. Here are the categories of ingredients that can go into composing a green chutney of your liking:
- Herbs - Typically an Indian green chutney has cilantro and mint for both its green color and light and herby flavor. My recipe uses a combo of both. If you don't love the taste of cilantro, just swap it out for mint and vice versa.
- Spices - My recipe uses cumin powder for its earthiness and garlic cloves for depth and umami. These are staples I always have in my kitchen. However, you can use a combo of garlic and ginger or substitute in a quarter of an onion to get the same depth and body for your chutney. In addition, you can layer on additional spices like coriander powder or chaat masala to add even more spices to your chutney.
- Acid - Lemon juice is a standard for acidity and brightness. However, you can use lime or any citrus you have on hand. You can alternatively use green apple chunks which add both acidity and sweetness.
- Heat - Thai chilis are the ones most commonly found in Indian chutneys because they add quite a bit of heat. However, if you don't want as much heat you can substitute a less spicy chili like Fresno chilis, Serranos, or jalapeños, or omit them completely for a sweeter chutney.
- Sweetness - In my cilantro mint chutney recipe, I add a bit of sugar to round out all the flavors. This sweetness helps mellow out the punchy flavors of garlic and balance everything out. If you like a sweeter mint chutney, you can increase the amount of sugar or alternatively add honey!
Try to include at least one ingredient from each category to get a well balanced green chutney of your liking. You really can't go wrong; keep tasting the chutney as you go and adjust for salt to create the perfect condiment to store in your fridge.
Consistency of chutney
The consistency of your cilantro-mint chutney really depends on what you end up using it for and your personal preference. In general, you want to ensure that you have blended the chutney enough so there aren't big pieces of garlic or cilantro/mint leaves.
However, from there you can add more or less water for a consistency you desire. I like to keep the chutney thicker for applications like mint-chutney finger sandwiches and for dipping sauces like for samosas or my samosa pot pie recipe. However if I want to drizzle the green chutney for pani puri, I generally thin it out a little bit with additional water. You can look for other ideas on using the green chutney here.
How long does chutney keep?
This chutney lasts for 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Over time, the chutney will get darker green as it oxides. One way to reduce oxidation is to add a layer of lemon juice to the top of the cilantro mint chutney before storing. You can alternatively freeze green chutney in the freezer for months. It is helpful to add the green chutney to ice cubes and freeze to allow you to thaw small amounts when you are ready to eat!
What to eat Indian green chutney with
This is a bright chutney that can liven up just about anything. It is great to break up the heaviness of fatty cuts of meat like steak, pork chops, or grilled chicken thigh. However, it also provides great acidity to fried dishes like samosas or pakoras. Last but not least, it is a must for any chaats that you make to give them levity and spice. Here are some of the recipes on the blog that would pair so well with this green chutney:
Frequently Asked Questions
This chutney last 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Add a layer of lemon juice to the top to help slow down the chutney oxidizing from a bright green to a dark green color. You can alternatively keep the chutney in the freezer for up to 3 months and thaw when ready to use.
Absolutely! Simply substitute mint for cilantro in your chutney.
Green chutney is generally spicy, tangy, and herbaceous. It pairs great with fatty cuts of meat, as a dipping sauce for fried foods, and is the best with chaats.
The most important thing is that big pieces of garlic and herbs are blitzed. Leave the chutney on the thicker side, similar to the consistency of pesto, if using for sandwiches or as a dipping sauce. Thin out the chutney with water if using to drizzle on chaats.
Yes! Don't discard the stems of cilantro. Cilantro stems contain lots of water and flavor that are great in chutneys.
Gorgeous Green Cilantro-Mint Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 bunch cilantro stems and leaves
- 1 cup (30 g) mint (leaves only)
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1- 2 Thai chilis deseeded for less spice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspon sea salt plus more to taste
- ½ cup water plus more as needed
Instructions
- Add 1 bunch cilantro, 1 cup (30 g) mint (leaves only), 3-4 garlic cloves, 1- 2 Thai chilis, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, ¾ teaspon sea salt, and ½ cup water to a blender and blend until the chutney easily falls from the spoon, but is not completely smooth. Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of water if the blender struggles to mix. Taste for salt and adjust.
- Use immediately, or refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to two months, with an added layer of lemon juice to help prevent oxidation and help preserve its bright green color.
Notes and Tips
- This chutney will last in the fridge for up to 2 months. Adding a layer of lemon juice to the chutney helps preserve the color of the chutney for a longer period of time.
- Taste your chutney and make sure it is seasoned properly with salt to your taste.
Julie
Hi Shri! This was so simple and even easier to modify based on your guidance for what I had on hand! I love cilantro but I didn't have any but I had lots of mint in my garden right now, so I did mint with fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt and sugar, a clove of garlic and a little bit of water. I didn't even precisely watch my measurements, I just kind of took a general sense of your ratios and mixed it up together in my little herb mixer - enough for just a single serving. Delicious and wonderfully easy for my first chutney-ish effort! I bet it'll be even better next time when I have cilantro and can combine the two and maybe make a bigger batch.Thank you so much!
Shri Repp
Thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment Julie! I am so glad that the article helped you riff to create your own chutney! That is so awesome. I'm so excited for your future chutney adventures <3
Cadry
This was SO GOOD! I am overloaded with cilantro from my CSA, so I did an all-cilantro version. All of that raw garlic really adds a lot to the flavor.
And thank you for the great tip from your Instagram reel of being really cautious when adding water, and just adding it as needed. (I only needed about 1/4 cup.) That's the problem I often have with cilantro chutney, and I was able to avoid it this time.
(Side note: I noticed in the FAQ that the chutney is good for 2-3 weeks, but in the recipe card, it says it's good for 2 months in the fridge.)
Laura
This is SO delicious, I made it for samosas on Sunday and it's gracing my salads, sandwiches, and grilled veggies all week. I'm gearing up to make more. What a treasure!