Recipes › Coriander › Coriander and Green Chilli Chutney
Coriander and Green Chilli Chutney
This vivid, punchy chutney is built almost entirely from fresh coriander — stems, leaves and all — blended with green chillies, garlic, ginger and a squeeze of lime. It is the kind of thing you make once and then find yourself putting on absolutely everything: spooned over dal, spread inside sandwiches, served alongside grilled fish or stirred through yoghurt as a dip. Ten minutes from garden to jar.
Coriander is usually ready May to October. More coriander recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 120 Fresh coriander, whole plant including roots if available, roughly chopped
- 3 Green chillies, roughly chopped, seeds in for heat or removed for milduse 1 if you want very mild
- 3 Garlic cloves, peeled
- 20 Fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 30 ml Lime juiceor lemon juice
- 30 ml Water
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Fine sea salt
- 1 tsp Caster sugar
Contains: milk.
Method
- Wash the coriander well, shaking off excess water. If the roots are attached, scrub them clean and include them — they carry enormous flavour.About 2 min
- Place the coriander, green chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, salt and sugar into a blender or the small bowl of a food processor.About 1 min
- Add the lime juice and water. Blend on high for 60 seconds, then scrape down the sides and blend again until you have a smooth, vivid green paste. If it looks too thick to blend freely, add another 10–15ml of water.About 3 min
- Taste and adjust — more lime if you want brightness, more salt if it needs lifting, more sugar if the chillies are particularly ferocious.About 1 min
- Spoon into clean sterilised jars or an airtight container. The chutney is ready immediately.About 1 min
Tips
- The coriander roots are where the deepest flavour lives — if you grow your own and can pull the whole plant, use everything down to the very tip of the root.
- A thin layer of oil poured over the top of the jar before sealing will help preserve the colour and freshness for an extra day or two.
- If the chutney turns slightly dull green after a day in the fridge, a quick blitz with a few fresh coriander leaves will bring the colour straight back.
Ring the changes
- Blend in 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut for a coastal South Indian style chutney with a sweeter, nuttier flavour.
- Add 30g of fresh mint leaves alongside the coriander for a more complex herb chutney that works brilliantly with lamb.
Keeping it
Keep refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. The colour will deepen but the flavour stays strong. Freezes well in ice cube trays for up to 3 months — pop out a cube whenever you need it.
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