Mint Chutney Recipe – Vegan

In Desi cooking, mint chutney enlivens eggs, kormas, biriyanis, sandwiches and many other dishes, adding a sour, spicy and fresh cooling sweetness. Where it really sings, though, is as an accompaniment to samosas and chaats. Use Greek yogurt if you want a creamy chutney. Depending on preference, you can skip the raw garlic.

PREPARATION

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth and thick enough to hold at the lip of a spoon without any liquid running. The chunky bits should not separate from the liquid. The consistency of the chutney will probably depend on the strength of the blender, and a chunky chutney made with a lower powered blender tastes just as good as a very smooth one. The chutney can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

INGREDIENTS

• Yield: ¾ cup
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro with stems
• 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds or 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 3 to 5 Thai green chiles, stemmed
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt or water
• 2 garlic cloves (optional)