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Cilantro Chutney

Adapted from an original recipe by Shruti Mehta. Shruti writes "Use as a spread for sandwiches or as a relish with various breads and fritters". I just put it out on the table when I serve an Indian meal and let people decide for themselves what to do with it. I sit back and accept the compliments (but I give Shruti her credit).

Basic Instructions

Roughly chop up the cilantro, chilies, garlic and peanuts. Remove the seeds from the chili peppers if you want to (I chose to do this, but it's a pain in the neck). Dump everything into a small food processor or blender. Reserve some of the water until you see how things are turning out. Grind into a paste. How long you grind and how smooth you get the paste is entirely up to you, but I leave it quite coarse and nobody complains. Scrape it out of the food processor into a serving dish or into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid for storage in the refrigerator, where it will be fine for a couple of weeks. According to Shruti, it also freezes well.

Notes and Variations

Because this all gets chopped up, there is no need to pick the leaves off the stems of the cilantro. Take the whole bunch, rinse it, shake it dry and start chopping from the top. Stop when you reach the thick, stiffer stems lower down. Then pick out the leaves from the lowest part according to your patience and the time available. Shruti's original recipe also calls for a third of a cup of mint leaves. I have not tried this, as I really do not like mint, so I can't tell you what my guests would think of it. You'll have to try it for yourself. If you freeze the chutney with mint it will discolor. Shruti also calls for "6 green chilies". Of course, what you do here will depend on your taste for chili heat and what sort of chilies you have available. I use four "Hot Rod" serrano peppers grown by my wife and, as I mentioned above, I remove the seeds. I do not end up using the entire quarter cup of water, preferring a stiffer result.