I recently learned this recipe from my friend Raj. She insists that the quantity of each ingredient depends entirely on the quality of the individual ingredients and personal taste and will never give exact quantities. I have included measurements as a guideline only, and like Raj, encourage you to experiment with your own variations.
1 Bunch
Cilantro
8-10
Dates
1 Tbs.
Jaggery (or regular sugar)
*
2 Green Chiles (Serrano work well)
1 tsp. Amchur (dried mango powder)
2 Cloves of
Garlic
pinch of salt
1-3 cups hot water
Optional:
Lime Juice
Onion
Mint Leaves
Ginger
Chop the cilantro, chilies, and garlic. Combine chopped ingredients, jaggery, and amchur in a blender with enough hot water to blend easily. Add salt and additional ingredients as desired.
Some things to note when making this chutney:
Amchur provides a sour flavor. Tamarind paste can be used instead or in addition to amchur to enhance this aspect of the chutney.
Lime juice also provides a balance to the spicy chilies, however, lime juice and hot chilies in combination can produce an allergic-like reaction in some people.
When Raj made this dish, she added the Serrano chilies, seeds and all. If you are not used to eating fire, I would recommend seeding the chilies to reduce their intensity.
This chutney is excellent as a sauce or dip for a wide variety of dishes, Indian and other. I highly recommend it with samosas or chaat.
*Ouroboros suggests brown sugar as a substitute for Jaggery.