Green Chutney (Podina Chutney)
ہری چٹنی (پودینے کی چٹنی)
Podina chutney is the sharp, fresh green sauce that comes with samosas, pakoras, tikka, kababs and every BBQ platter in Pakistan. It is nothing more than raw herbs, chili and lemon, blended until smooth, so the quality of the leaves decides everything. Using only mint leaves, not stems, and blending with a little ice-cold water keeps it vivid green and free of bitterness.
- ⏱ Total: 15 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Pick the mint leaves off their stems and discard the stems. Wash the mint and coriander in a large bowl of water, lift them out and shake off as much water as you can.
Put the green chilies, garlic, cumin, salt, sugar, lemon juice and ice into the blender jar, then pack the herbs on top.
Blend in short pulses for about a minute, scraping down the sides once or twice, until smooth. Add another spoon of cold water only if the blades are not catching.
Taste and adjust: it should be sharp, hot and tangy. Add more salt or lemon juice as needed and pulse once more.
For the yogurt version, whisk the thick yogurt until smooth and stir in 3–4 tablespoons of the green chutney, adding more until it is the colour and heat you like.
Transfer to a bowl and serve with samosas, pakoras, tikka or kababs, or spread it inside rolls and sandwiches.
Kitchen notes
Mint stems are woody and bitter, and they turn the chutney dull. Coriander stems are tender and full of flavour, so keep those.
Heat from the blender darkens the herbs. Ice cubes and short pulses keep the chutney bright green.
Add lemon juice before blending, not after. The acid helps hold the green colour.
The chutney on every plate
Green chutney is probably the most used condiment in Pakistan after ketchup. It comes in little plastic bags with samosas from the corner shop, in steel bowls with Ramadan pakoras, and in squeeze bottles at every BBQ restaurant. Thin, sharp versions are spooned over chaat and dahi baray, while the creamy yogurt version is the classic partner for chicken tikka, seekh kababs and paratha rolls.
Fresh herbs, cold blender
Because nothing is cooked, the chutney is only as good as the herbs. Look for bright mint with no black spots and coriander with fresh, perky leaves. Pick the mint leaves off the stems carefully; it is the slowest part of the recipe but makes the biggest difference to taste and colour.
The enemy of green chutney is heat. A blender running for a long time warms the leaves and they turn dark and murky. Adding a couple of ice cubes, using short pulses and putting the wet ingredients at the bottom of the jar so the blades catch quickly all help. Lemon juice added at the start brightens the flavour and helps hold the colour.
Variations
- Dahi wali chutney: stir the green chutney into thick yogurt, as in the last step, for kababs and BBQ.
- Samosa shop style: add half an onion and a little more chili for a thicker, milder chutney.
- Anardana chutney: replace the lemon with a tablespoon of for a fruitier sourness.
Storing
Keep plain chutney in a small, full glass jar in the fridge for 3–4 days, and freeze any extra in an ice-cube tray. Mix the yogurt version fresh, as yogurt chutney gets watery after a day.
Questions people ask
Why does my green chutney turn black?
Air and heat oxidise the herbs. Blend with ice, add lemon juice early, and store the chutney in a small jar filled to the top with a thin layer of lemon juice or oil over it.
How long does it keep?
Plain green chutney keeps for 3–4 days in a closed jar in the fridge. The yogurt version is best within a day. You can also freeze plain chutney in ice-cube trays for up to a month.
Can I add onion or tamarind?
Yes. Half a small onion makes it milder and thicker, as many samosa shops do, and a teaspoon of tamarind pulp or a few anardana seeds can stand in for the lemon.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 20
- Protein
- 1 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
