This chutney, closely related to yogurt raitas, may be served with almost any Indian meal. Its cool, fresh flavor is a soothing counterpoint for spicy dishes, and it makes an excellent and nutritious dip or sauce for vegetables.
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, firmly packed
• 1 fresh hot green chili (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
Put the cilantro, mint, green chili, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons water into the container of a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, pushing down, if necessary, with a rubber spatula.
Beat the yogurt in a small bowl until it is creamy. Add the mixture from the blender and fold in. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, mix, and taste. Add more salt if you need it.
— Madhur Jaffrey, originator of these recipes, was born in Delhi, India. At age 20, after graduating from Delhi University, she went to England to study drama. There, homesick for India and disappointed in the school’s bleak fare, she finally began learning Indian cooking from recipes that her mother sent from India. Since she arrived in New York in the early 1960s, she has been enlightening Americans on Indian cooking and culture through lectures, a television series, and several books.
Recipes copyright 1981 by Madhur Jaffrey. Reprinted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
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