Mint Chutney is a spicy Indian dip, also known as green chutney or pudina chutney. It is an essential dip for Indian snacks and Chaat. Follow my tips to make a lip-smacking chutney each time.
What is ‘Chutney’?
A chutney is a refreshing Indian dipping sauce or a side dish. There are hundreds of chutney recipes followed across India. No Indian street food fare is complete without some spicy, flavorsome array of chutneys.
Mint Chutney is one of the most popular Indian chutney varieties. It is a fresh herb blend and perhaps the most common way of using mint and coriander in an everyday Indian meal. Mint Chutney is bold, delicious, and refreshing at the same time.
Reasons To LOVE Mint Chutney
easy to make and store
vegan and vegetarian
gluten-free dip
Mint Chutney is rich in antioxidants. As per various medical journals, fresh mint chutney is good for your skin and aids in digestion. If you are on a detox diet then pudina chutney is an excellent side dish or dip to include in your meal plan.
Ingredients Required
Mint Leaves: Fresh mint leaves are the key ingredient for making this green chutney. Do not use dried mint leaves or mint powder.
Coriander Leaves: Coriander balance the bitterness of mint leaves. Do not throw away coriander stalks as they add a lot of flavor to the chutney.
Green Chilli: It adds spiciness. Jalapeno or any other mildly spicy green chili works for making chutney.
Ginger & Garlic: I love the flavor of garlic and ginger in my chutney. Skip adding garlic if you are allergic or do not like it.
Cumin Powder: Use either roasted cumin seeds or powder. It gives an earthy, roasted flavor to the chutney.
Mango Powder: It gives a sour, lip-smacking taste to the chutney. You can use lemon or lime juice, rock salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, or a tablespoon of sour cream to get the same taste.
Sugar: A teaspoon of granulated white sugar balances the spiciness and gives a subtle sweet taste to the chutney making it perfectly umami.
How To Avoid Black and Bitter Mint Chutney
The biggest challenge with the mint chutney is at times – it turns black and bitter.
I am sharing a few tips and tricks to avoid black and bitter green chutney:
1) Green Chutney turns black when exposed to air for a longer duration due to oxidation.
Tip: This can be prevented by storing chutney in an airtight container. Or you can 1 – 2 ice cubes while blending the chutney to control the heat generated from the blender.
2) Often mint chutney tastes bitter. Usually, there are two reasons responsible for the same. First, the chutney is blended for too long leading to the release of bitter juices of mint leaves. Second, the ratio of mint leaves to other ingredients is not correct.
Tip: Ensure one or two blitzes in a blender are enough to make chutney. Or use the traditional mortar and pestle to make it. Add coriander leaves to balance the bitterness of mint leaves.
Serving Suggestion
The versatility of green chutney is indispensable – they lend themselves to so many interpretations. With a jar full of mint chutney the possibilities are endless.
From an enticing dip to a finger-licking side dish for Indian main course dishes, a pudina chutney can be many things. It is a quintessential part of an Indian thali.
A teaspoon of green chutney on aloo tikki chaat and suddenly it turns into a tantalizing appetizer. Served on the side of tandoori prawns or paneer tikka with onion rings and you have the perfect Indian appetizer platter.
You can layer the green chutney as a spread on bread slices to make Indian Style Cheese Chutney Sandwich.
Storage Suggestion
It is always best to store green chutney in a clean, airtight container in the fridge. It remains fresh in the fridge for 3 – 5 days.
But after a few hours, the mint chutney starts changing its color from bright green to dark green. Hence, it is best to consume it within a day or two.
More Indian Chutney Recipes
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Mint Chutney Recipe
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 Cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 Cup fresh coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 green chili, chopped
- 1 teaspoon mango powder (amchur powder)
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (jeera powder)
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- Salt to taste
- 4 tablespoon water or use 2 – 3 ice cubes
Instructions
- To make the chutney, first clean and wash the green leaves.
- In a blender add all the ingredients to make the chutney along with water or ice cubes.
- Blend the ingredients to a smooth paste to make the chutney. If required, add more water. Transfer chutney to a clean bowl.
- Serve Mint Chutney with snacks or store in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes:
- Do not blend the chutney for too long else it will turn black and bitter.
- If the chutney seems too watery or spicy or bitter, add a tablespoon of thick, plain curd/yogurt and blend one more time.
thottappillil madhu says
Love the Photos :)..Though I doubt i am going to be making the Chutney anytime soon 😀
Rajathraj Rao says
Thanks for sharing this. ANd amazing photos.
Cheers
Rajathraj
http://theindianflavour.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rajathrajrao
https://www.facebook.com/hottebaaka
Prof.P.N.Satish says
looks yummy. Shall certainly try it out soon as I can – this chutney must also be a good accompaniment for samosas. Thanks for a wonderfully well illustrated recipe.
Hina Gujral says
I am so happy that you liked the recipe. Please do let us know how it turned out.
Elin says
I did this chutney and served it with tandoori prawns for appetizer and it was so f-ing good! Had some left to butter chicken and it was also awesome!
Hina Gujral says
So glad you liked it! I agree with you its a flavor bomb.