Equipment
Ingredients
Herbs and Aromatics
- 30 g fresh cilantro, washed, thick bottom stems removed
- 15 g fresh mint, washed, leaves only
- 10 g green chiles, roughly chopped
- 5 g garlic, peeled
- 5 g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Base and Seasoning
- 150 g plain whole milk yogurt, cold
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g salt, fine
- 2 g chaat masala, ground
- 2 g roasted cumin powder, ground
- 2 g sugar, granulated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 18 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 195 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 2 mg
- Potassium
- 73 mg
- Calcium
- 33 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Phosphorus
- 24 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 25 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash the cilantro and mint thoroughly. Spread them over a kitchen towel and pat them completely dry. Excess water on the herbs will dilute the final consistency of the chutney.
In a blender, combine the dry cilantro, mint, green chiles, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt, chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, sugar, and exactly one tablespoon of the measured yogurt. Blend on high until a smooth, bright green paste forms.
Place the remaining cold yogurt into a mixing bowl. Using a whisk, beat the yogurt vigorously until it is completely smooth and free of any lumps.
Transfer the blended green herb paste into the bowl with the whisked yogurt. Fold the mixtures together gently until fully incorporated and uniformly pale green.
Cover the mixing bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the raw garlic pungency to mellow and the spice flavors to permeate the dairy.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve the most vibrant green color, add a small ice cube to the blender when pureeing the herbs. The cold temperature prevents the blender friction from cooking and dulling the chlorophyll.
- Do not skip the lemon juice. Beyond flavor, the ascorbic acid acts as an antioxidant that prevents the cut herbs from turning brown and muddy looking as they sit.
- The heat of green chiles varies wildly between batches and seasons. Start with a smaller amount when blending, taste the base paste, and blend in more if you require a sharper kick.
- For an ultra-luxurious, restaurant-style texture, use 'hung curd' instead of standard yogurt. Place regular yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang it for 2 hours to drain the whey before proceeding with the recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight glass container to prevent oxidation and flavor transfer.
Troubleshooting
Chutney is excessively watery and thin.
Cause: Blending all the yogurt together with the herbs at high speed, breaking the dairy emulsion, or failing to dry the washed herbs.
Fix: Suspend a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or a paper towel, pour the chutney in, and let it drain in the fridge for 30 minutes to remove excess whey.
Prevention: Blend only the herbs and aromatics with minimal liquid, then manually whisk and fold into the bulk of the yogurt.
Chutney tastes bitter.
Cause: Inclusion of tough mint stems, or over-blending the herbs which introduces too much heat and bruising.
Fix: Add a small amount of extra sugar and a pinch more salt to mask the bitterness.
Prevention: Strictly pick mint leaves off their stems and pulse the blender just until a paste forms.
Cultural Context
Known widely across the subcontinent as Dahi Pudina Chutney or Hari Chutney, this vibrant green condiment is an absolute staple in Indian cookery. It serves as the ultimate cooling counterpoint to fiery tandoori dishes, rich curries, and deep-fried snacks like samosas and pakoras. Every household boasts its own variation, carefully balancing the sharp pungency of raw garlic and ginger with the tartness of yogurt, the brightness of herbs, and the earthy sulfurous notes of chaat masala.
