Green Chutney/Green dip (scallions, mint and coriander)

Dips or chutneys can spice up any savory recipe be it dumplings or pakoras, crepes, pulao or just plain normal bread.It gels undisputed with the breakfast recipes to the evening snacks till the main course at dinner.  What’s more to ask if the side dip is full of healthy greens and free of fats. Every bite dipped in the green chutney makes the food more appetizing andundoubtedly healthy.

The green chutney interestingly came into picture. We had invited some guests for a dinner party last week and along with other veggies, I got a lot of mint, coriander and scallions for salad and garnishing. While doing the clean-up after cooking, I was storing the surplus vegetables in the refrigerator.Then the tangy taste bud became active and I decided to make the chutney with the remaining mint, scallions and coriander. Although tamarind chutney was already a part of the dinner menu, but my green chutney became the hit for the day, both with the snacks as well as during the dinner.

The health factor in this chutney is appreciable attributing to the presence of mint which has a well- established name as a digestive. Scallions or green onions or spring onions have a milder flavor than most onions. Its leaves are rich in vitamin A and the white part or the bulb is rich in vitamin C. So make sure to use the entire onion for the chutney to get the goodness.

Green Chutney/Green dip (scallions, mint and coriander)

Preparation time: 15 minutes, cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4-5 green onions or scallions

1 bunch of coriander

1 bunch of mint

5-6 cloves of garlic

2 inch ginger

2-3 green chilies or to taste

Salt to taste

1 lemon

2 medium size tomatoes

½ tsp. roasted cumin

Pinch of hing or asafoetida

Method

Wash, cut and chop the green onions.

Thoroughly wash and clean the mint and coriander leaves.

In a mixer, blend the green onions, mint, coriander leaves, peeled garlic, ginger, green chilies and tomatoes. You may add a little amount of water. Just be careful, you don’t overdo it as it may alter the consistency of the chutney.

Add salt, roasted cumin, hing and juice of one lemon. Blend it again.

You can taste and adjust the salt, green chilies and lemon juice depending upon your taste.

Store it in a glass jar and serve as required. This dip can be refrigerated and kept for later usage as well.

Tips:

You can also add amla or Indian goose berry and green raw mango for added tanginess.

Storing in a glass jar enhances the longevity of the chutney and keeps it fresh or a long time.

-Pooja Bakshi

Pooja believes that cooking is done majorly for the heart as that’s where you feel happy from. Although cooking is one of her daily chores, yet the commitment of serving healthful and scrumptious food to her family with variety and keeping them fit makes it the most fruitful task of her day. Being a mother of food loving kids , she thinks that along with the new creations, the real culinary art also lies in making the normal food more nutritious and appetizing.