Secret Ingredient cilantro chutney which has a bright dose of fresh herby flavour and spice and is PERFECT for Pakoras
Ramadan makes me nostalgic. My childhood Ramadan day had a lackadaisical pace, a frenetic burst of activity right before Iftar and then those wonderful bright nights. That's what Ramadan felt like, but what it always tastes like is my mothers Cilantro Chutney.
The Key to a FABULOUS Cilantro Chutney: An Unusual Ingredient
It has taken considerable doing for me to get this Cilantro Chutney recipe right. My mother, an accomplished cook who entertains a remarkable amount is not the very best at sharing recipes. I cobbled this one together from many mistakes, my sister in laws and mine, and the last round of notes I got from her.
The key it seems is cucumber. While most chutneys are thinned with water this one turns to cucumber for a clean fresh taste. Compounded with the fresh acidity for the tomato it makes for a chutney that tastes positively zingy and sunny.
Sequence Matters
When making this Cialntro Chutney it is absolutely imperative that the ingredients go in cucumber first, tomato next and then the rest. That is because as my mother points out the cucumber and tomato form the fresh base for the cucumber. They need to be closest to the blender blade to create the liquid for the chutney.
Hope you try this chutney and like it! Either way I'd love to hear from you! You can share yours with me on Instagram @flourandspiceblog or rate the recipe below by clicking the number of stars you would like to give it!
Cilantro Chutney
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup roughly chopped cucumber
- ½ tomato
- 2-4 green chilies
- 2 cloves garlic
- juice of a quarter lemon (about a tbsp)
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 bunch cilantro washed with bottom ends chopped off and the rest roughly chopped
- ½ tsp sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Place the ingredients in the blender cucumber and tomatoes first then the remaining ingredients.
- Pulse a few times to combine - you don't want a very watery chutney
- Adjust seasoning with salt or a pinch of sugar if it seems unbalanced.
Video
Bianca says
Absolutely delicious and so easy. A recipe is good if it tastes like more than the sum of its ingredients, and this certainly does!
I first tried cilantro chutney sold by a lovely Pakistani family at a farmer's market in California where my sister lives. Back home in Spain, Pakistani food is hard to find but I was craving this.
Will certainly make again. Am looking forward to trying it with roasted cauliflower 😀
Sarah Mir says
OHMIGOSH!! This would be INCREDIBLE over roasted cauliflower and I am so trying that too! Thank you very very much for your kind words, brightened my day!!!!
Zainab says
This is a keeper !!! I'm going to make it with everything! The balance is on point and the flavour is a bomb. Grateful for this whole blog!
Sarah Mir says
Thank you for the review Zainab!!! Since you are a fan I must share that this recipe of my moms works so well with the small aloo samosas too (the one in samosa wrappers like keema ones!)
AK says
Hi Sarah, how to store this chutney and for how long? Is it ok to freeze it?
Sarah Mir says
Hi! This makes a fairly small batch and it's good for a week in the fridge and can be frozen too!
Shazieh says
My go to blog for all foods Pakistani. Made some frozen samosas today *horror* but ooh- this green chutney adds the homemade touch. And the addition of cucumbers and tomato is genius! Refreshing, spicy, deliciousness. Thank you for sharing all your recipes
Sarah Mir says
Thank you so very much Shazieh! Also I quite like frozen samosas myself! 🙂