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Dhaniya Chutney
Chutney & Sauce

Dhaniya Chutney

The counterpoint on every chaat plate and the sauce that makes a sandwich worth eating. Coriander, green chilli, garlic, and lemon — ground together in minutes and ready to lift whatever you put beside it.

5 minServes 8 medium

Method

  1. Wash the coriander well and shake off the excess water — a little moisture helps it blend but too much makes the chutney watery.

  2. Add all ingredients to a blender or grinder. Blitz to a smooth paste. If it won't catch, add a tablespoon of water and try again.

  3. Taste and adjust: more lemon for sharpness, more chilli for heat, a pinch of salt if flat.

  4. Stir in the oil if using, then transfer to a jar. Keeps in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Cook's note. The tomato adds body and softens the raw bite of the garlic. Leave it out for a sharper, more punchy chutney — the kind served with tandoori at restaurants. Either way, make it the day you need it if you can; the green fades to olive after a couple of days.

The story

Green coriander chutney is one of the most universal condiments in Indian cooking, appearing in virtually every regional kitchen from Punjab to Kerala. On a chaat plate it plays against the tamarind chutney — tart and sharp where the other is sweet and dark. In North Indian homes a jar in the fridge is as constant as salt.