Chutneys are a staple for any south-Indian. Most south-Indians grow up to the tastes of coconut chutney, peanut chutney, tomato chutney and the list is endless.The point is I love all of the traditional chutneys but when I want to eat them more regularly, I have got to watch out for all that extra coconut that gets into my food! So I look to sneak in some veggies to give a good consistency to the chutney instead of loading it with coconut or peanuts. I have added a post on chayote squash chutney here too if you want to check it out!
Coming to this recipe, mint chutney needs no introduction!! It is a popular side for all the snack items that we gorge on – like samosas, chats or even crackers. But this chutney is not the “same” mint chutney. This is a south-Indian one, with the flavor of tamarind, some lentils and coconut, and one really different ingredient – cucumber!! You might be wondering if cucumber is going to be a great add here or not, trust me it is a refreshing change! In fact the taste of mint and cucumber add in that much needed coolness during hot summers! Go ahead and serve this with your favorite dosas or parathas!
Ingredients
- 3-4 bunches of mint leaves. (Should yield about 2 1/2 – 3 cups loosely packed mint leaves)
- 1/2 medium cucumber chopped roughly
- 2 tsp urad dal
- 4 red chillies (or adjust according to spice level required)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp tamarind pulp
- 1 tbsp grated coconut
- 1 tsp oil of choice
- For the tempering – 1/2 tsp urad dal, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida (hing), 1 tsp oil
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Servings: 3-4
Method
- Wash the mint leaves thoroughly.
- Take a pan and heat 1 tsp oil in it. Add in 2 tsp urad dal and the red chillies (break them a little before adding). Saute well for a minute till the dal changes color lightly. Then remove this mixture onto a separate plate.
- Add the mint leaves to the same pan and saute it well for a few minutes. You can see the leaves shrinking. Let it cook well. You don’t need to add any water. Once it is cooked, remove it onto the plate with the dal and chillies and let it cool.
- Once the mixture is cool, add this to a mixer. Add in the cucumber, salt, tamarind pulp and coconut and grind it to a fine paste! The chutney is almost ready :). One last step – tempering!!
- You can reuse the pan to prepare the tempering. Add in a tsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add in urad dal and saute well. Once the dal changes color, add in mustard seeds as well. Once the mustard seeds crackle, turn off the stove and add in a pinch of hing. Add this tempering to the chutney and it is ready to serve!
