Cilantro Chutney
This recipe was written by contributing author, Archana Choudhary. Learn more about her here!
It’s the season for layering! Layering your sweaters… and your flavors! Most foods can be made ~fancier~ by layering condiments, especially homemade ones. My average day of food probably includes at least 2 condiments, and at any time of the day you can find a whole collection of different sauces in my pantry/refrigerator that I either picked up from Trader Joe’s or threw together in my blender the night before. My favorite addition to almost any dish is Cilantro Chutney. It adds a tangy, fresh, “earthy” flavor to almost anything you could imagine. This recipe is truly based on “Andaaz” or guesstimating, and doesn’t require accurate measurements. So, please feel free to adjust quantities, and taste as you go in pursuit of your perfect Cilantro Chutney.
Ps. my favorite chutney “hack” is to slather it on my grilled cheese sandwiches! I’d love to hear how you used your chutney, so reach out and let me know!!
Ingredients
1 bunch cilantro: feel free to use slightly wilted cilantro!
½ cup lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar: feel free to substitute with honey
1 tsp red pepper flakes: feel free to use any fresh chilies here
Preparation:
Wash Cilantro thoroughly, and roughly chop, stems included! Alternatively, if you have a strong enough blender, you can just throw it in there and skip the chopping altogether.
Blend together the cilantro, lime juice, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes until everything is essentially a “mush.” If needed, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a thinner consistency.
If the chutney is a little bitter or a little too “earthy”, you can add more lime juice or sugar to balance the flavor.
That’s it! Throw it on Chana Masala, tacos, buddha bowls, grilled cheese; the sky's the limit!
Best Practices:
As always:
Avoid packaged produce, or really anything packaged for that matter. This is not to say that you’ll always have the option, but when you do, go for it! For example, you may sometimes see pre-chopped cilantro in plastic tubs or limes and garlic in nylon mesh. These are all typically available without the plastic! We encourage you to take the opportunity to buy in bulk and package-free!
Try to bring your own bags when you go shopping for these ingredients, and choose local, in-season produce when you can.
Make sure you’re not buying more than you think you’ll reasonably use! Things like the garlic and red chili flakes will last for a while if stored properly, so with those if you buy a bit more than you needed, you’ll have plenty of time to use them in the future. But the fresh cilantro and limes will go bad if you don’t use them relatively quickly, so purchase with care!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know! If you really loved it, share it on social media and tag us (@groundedgrub), or, better yet, share it with your friends and family!