Name: Jalapeno Cilantro Chutney
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2-4 jalapenos (adjust according to how hot you can handle!); 1 cup cilantro (rinsed); 2 garlic cloves; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup olive oil; Juice of 1 lime; 2 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt

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So we have a single jalapeno plant growing in a pot this summer. But this one single plant has suddenly produced over a dozen jalapeños! What do you do with over a dozen fresh jalapeños straight from the garden?? OK, so you guessed it, I made some jalapeno cilantro chutney!

Once you try this chutney you will not be able to live without it!! First of all it tastes amazing! It's crazy simple to make! I'm telling you, it will be such a staple in your fridge! Make some and it will last a few days, or for as long as you can keep your hands off it.

What is Chutney?

A chutney is a spread that is widely used in Indian. They are most commonly served with chaats. You might notice that they both sound similar, chutney and chaat. Well that's because they are both derived from the same the hindi word 'chaat', which is literally translated to 'lick' but meaning to 'eat with appetite'. Essentially chutneys provide a freshness and balance to meals, most often snacks or street foods.

Chutneys are dipping sauces for Indian snacks. Often times, chutneys are thought to be just spicy, similar to a hot sauce. But they can be sweet, spicy, tart, tangy, or really just about any combination of flavors. Green chunteys like this jalapeno cilantro chutney are pretty common, but they are usually made with cilantro, mint (pudina) and green chilli peppers instead of jalapeno peppers.

You might also be interested in these other chutney recipes: Avocado Cilantro Chutney, Cranberry Chutney, Spicy Cilantro Chutney!

What Ingredients do you need for Jalapeno Cilantro Chutney?

Jalapenos - this is the main ingredient. Jalapenos will provide a nice slightly smoky heat.
Cilantro - fresh bunch of cilantro, just cut off the stems. But there is no need to pluck every leaf off the stems. The blender should be able to pulverize all of the tender stems
Garlic - a couple of fresh garlic cloves, no need to prep these any more than just peeling them!
Sour Cream - you need a little creaminess, plus it helps to balance the heat from the jalapenos. You can also use mayonnaise or yogurt instead.
Olive Oil - You need just a little to help get a nice consistency. Without it, you would end up with just minced peppers and garlic
Lime - for a sour/tart flavor tart
Sugar - optional, but a touch of sugar really helps to balance the flavors
Salt - absolutely needed! This will help bring all the flavors together.

How to make Chutney

Never made chutney before?? It's really quick and easy. Just set out the blender on the counter in front of you and start dumping the ingredients in. The reason I'm not really prepping the ingredients is because everything is going into the blender, it will all get blended and pureed anyways! So there is really no need for any additional work.

I used 4 whole jalapeños. I would start off with 2 jalapeño peppers if you are looking for less heat. Prep the peppers by cutting off the stems and slicing them in half or smaller pieces if your blender needs that extra help. If you are looking to keep the heat level tamed, make sure to go the extra step to de-seed and devein the peppers before adding them to the blender jar.
Next rinse the fresh cilantro several times to remove all dirt. I just chop off the roots and throw most of the stems and leaves into the blender. I grew up cutting the cilantro and only using the leaves, but I don't have that type of patience! Plus I've found out that the cilantro stems carry more of the flavor than the leaves do, check out this article!
Add the remaining ingredients: garlic cloves, sour cream, salt, sugar, olive oil and lime juice. Blend for a few seconds until it's all combined and smooth.

What to serve with Jalapeno Cilantro Chutney?

That's it, ready to enjoy!! It's perfect for any type of Indian snacks (pakoras, samosas, vada pav) or Mexican meals (tacos, fajitas, nachos) or even just your morning scrambled eggs! This chutney is perfect with chaat and all of these recipes too!

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