Make delicious and healthy chutneys at home: Easy recipes to enhance the taste of every meal

What is chutney?
Chutney is an important part of Indian cuisine, which is made to enhance the taste of food. It is a type of tasty and spicy side dish, which is prepared from spices, fresh fruits, vegetables or herbs. Chutney is used not only to make food delicious, but it also helps in digestion.

Characteristics of Chutney
Variety: Chutney is of different types, such as coriander mint chutney, tomato chutney, coconut chutney, tamarind chutney, and peanut chutney.
Taste combination: Chutney can be sour, sweet, spicy, or mildly spicy. It is made to harmonize with the food.
Nutritional: Ingredients used in chutney such as coriander, mint, lemon, tamarind, etc. are rich in nutrition and benefit the body.

Benefits of Chutney
Aids digestion: The spices and herbs present in chutney improve digestion.
Enhances taste: It makes food more delicious.
Low calories: Chutneys are often used in low calories, making them a better option for health as well.

Here are different types of chutney recipes that you can make at home quickly:

1. Coriander Mint Chutney
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
½ cup mint leaves
2-3 green chillies
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
Method: Wash and clean the coriander and mint leaves.
Put all the ingredients in a mixer jar and grind them finely by adding some water.
Take out the prepared chutney in a bowl and serve.
Tip: This chutney tastes great with samosas, pakodas and parathas.

2. Sweet Tomato Chutney
Ingredients:
3 large tomatoes (chopped)
½ cup jaggery (grated)
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
½ tsp black salt
1 pinch asafoetida
Method: Heat some oil in a pan and temper it with fennel seeds and asafoetida.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook on low flame.
When tomatoes are cooked, add jaggery, red chilli powder and black salt.
Cook the mixture till it thickens.
Cool and serve.
Tip: You can eat it with puri, paratha or snacks.

3. Coconut Chutney (South Indian Style)
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh coconut (grated)
2 green chillies
1 tsp tamarind paste
½ cup curd
1 tsp roasted chana dal
Salt to taste
Method:
Put coconut, green chillies, tamarind paste, curd and chana dal in a mixer jar.
Add water as required and grind finely.
Take out the prepared chutney in a bowl.
Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Tip: Serve it with idli, dosa or vada.

4. Garlic Chutney (Rajasthani Style)
Ingredients:
10-12 garlic cloves
2 dried red chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tomatoes
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Method: Lightly roast the dried red chilies.
Put garlic, red chilies, tomatoes, and cumin seeds in a mixer jar and grind.
Heat oil in a pan and add this mixture and fry for 5 minutes.
Tip: Eat the prepared chutney with roti or bajra roti.

5. Sweet and sour mango chutney
Ingredients:
2 raw mangoes (grated)
½ cup jaggery
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
½ tsp black salt
Method: Put the grated mangoes in a pan and fry for a while.
Add jaggery, red chili powder, cumin powder and black salt to it.
Cook the chutney on low flame till it thickens.
Serve cool.
Tip: Serve it with rice, paratha or snacks.

6. Sesame Chutney
Ingredients:
½ cup sesame seeds (roasted)
2 green chillies
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp jaggery
Salt to taste
Method:
Grind the sesame seeds in a mixer.
Add green chillies, tamarind paste, jaggery and salt and grind again.
Tip: Eat this chutney with paratha or rice.

7. Onion Chutney (South Indian Style)
Ingredients:
2 medium sized onions (chopped)
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Method: Heat oil in a pan and temper urad dal, mustard seeds and dried red chillies.
Add chopped onions and fry till light golden.
Put the roasted onions, tamarind pulp and salt in a mixer jar and grind.
Tip: Serve the prepared chutney with idli or dosa.

8. Green Chilli Spicy Chutney
Ingredients:
10-12 green chillies
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil
Method: Wash and cut the green chillies lengthwise.
Heat oil in a pan and lightly fry the green chillies and garlic.
Put the roasted ingredients, cumin seeds, salt and lemon juice in a mixer jar and grind.
Tip: Eat this chutney with dal-rice or paratha.

9. Saunth or Imli ki Chutney (Sweet Chutney)
Ingredients:
½ cup tamarind pulp
½ cup jaggery
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
½ tsp black salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
Method: Put tamarind pulp and jaggery in a pan and cook on low flame.
Add cumin powder, black salt and red chilli powder to it.
When it thickens, turn off the gas and cool it.
Tip: Serve it with chaat, samosas or tikkis.

10. Spinach Chutney
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
2 green chillies
1 tsp garlic-ginger paste
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Method: Wash the spinach leaves and boil them lightly.
Put spinach, green chillies, garlic-ginger paste, cumin seeds and salt in a mixer jar and grind.
Add lemon juice on top and serve.
Tip: This chutney is healthy and nutritious.

11. Peanut Chutney
Ingredients:
½ cup roasted peanuts
2 green chillies
1 tsp tamarind paste
2 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
½ tsp mustard seeds (for tempering)
1 tsp oil
Method: Put peanuts, green chillies, garlic, tamarind paste and salt in a mixer jar and grind it.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds tempering and pour it over the chutney.
Tip: Serve it with idli, dosa or rice.

Conclusion: Chutney is a unique part of Indian food culture, offering the perfect blend of taste and nutrition. Making it with fresh and natural ingredients not only makes the food enjoyable but also makes it healthier.