Spicy Mint-Cilantro Chutney

By Von Diaz

Updated March 25, 2024

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(68)
Comments
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Tangy and spicy, with a touch of sweetness, this fresh, herbaceous chutney is incredibly adaptable, and will brighten up curries, stews, fritters, and grilled seafood and chicken. Adapted from “Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking” by Von Diaz (Chronicle Books, 2024), this no-cook, blended chutney hails from Mauritius, but similar chutneys can be found across Indian Ocean nations. Drizzle it and other dynamic sauces on top of spicy Trinidadian doubles.

Featured in: Why Doubles Remain Trinidad’s Most Popular Food

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Ingredients

Yield:1 cup

  • 3 to 6 serrano chiles or jalapeños, halved, stemmed and seeded (if desired to mitigate spiciness), then chopped

  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

  • Salt

  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

  • ½ cup fresh lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

14 grams carbs; 57 calories; 4 grams fiber; 298 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a mini food processor or blender, combine the chiles, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt; pulse several times to finely chop.

  2. Step 2

    Add the mint, cilantro and lime juice; process to a paste. For a looser chutney, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

  3. Step 3

    Season to taste with additional salt. This sauce is best served fresh, though you can store any remaining sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
68 user ratings
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Comments

Sandy

Some chutneys are long-cooked; others are fresh. Coriander chutneys similar to this one are found all over India.

Kenna108

@Lydia Sugarman In India, most chutney are not jam like at all. Tamarind, peanut, coconut are fresh just like this one. Others are cooked and jarred like mango chutney which is nothing like what we use here. It consists of green mango (a variety of mango) which is tart and mixed with spice as are all chutneys. Thin chutneys like this one are made to accompany dosa, or idli. One thing is for sure, is that food from Indian is delightfully complex and flavorful

Zumzuma

All over India and many other countries, millions of people call freshly made accompaniments 'chutneys'. This mint- coriander chutney is very common. So are coconut chutney, sesame chutney, tomato chutney and others. The word also covers cooked sweet,sour accompaniments.

stacy

Way too much lime juice! Maybe because I couldn’t find jalapeño chilies and I used half of one Serrano. Way too watery and not that good.

Marilyn

5/26 Tasty with lots of things, including fried egg.

dan p

Best done in a blender. A food processor won’t break down the pepper or any cilantro stems (which has more flavor than leaves) very well.

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Credits

Adapted from “Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking” by Von Diaz (Chronicle Books, 2024)

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