Bihari Green Chutney

Method

1. 1

   About this chutney: Green Chutney is the bright, herby companion to every Bihari chaat and snack. It is sharp, fresh and pungent — the cooling counterpoint to sweet tamarind chutney. Made well, it stays vivid green and tastes alive; made carelessly, it turns dull olive within hours.

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   Wash the herbs thoroughly: Take 1 large bunch coriander and half a bunch mint. Submerge them in a big bowl of cold water and swish around to dislodge dirt and grit. Lift out — do not pour the water through them or the dirt comes back. Repeat with fresh water until the water stays clear.

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   Dry the leaves completely: This is the most important step for a vivid green colour. Spin in a salad spinner or pat firmly between two clean kitchen towels. Wet leaves dilute the chutney and accelerate browning.

4. 4

   Pick the leaves: Pull coriander leaves from the bunch — the tender upper stems are fine to include, but discard thick lower stems. For mint, only use the leaves; mint stems taste bitter.

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   Prepare the aromatics: Roughly chop 3 green chillies (remove seeds for milder heat). Peel 2 garlic cloves. Peel a 1 inch piece of ginger and chop roughly.

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   Add a thickener: For body, choose one of two options: 1 tbsp roasted chana dal (the most authentic, available at Indian grocers) or 2 tbsp thick plain yogurt. The thickener stops the chutney from being watery and helps it cling to chaat.

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   Load the blender carefully: Place the chillies, garlic, ginger and thickener at the bottom of the blender — these are the hardest items and need to sit closest to the blades. Add the herbs on top.

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   Add salt and seasonings: Add 1/2 tsp regular salt, 1/2 tsp black salt (kala namak — adds the sulphury chaat tang), 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder and 1 tsp sugar if you like a balanced edge. Skip the sugar for a sharper, more traditional version.

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   Start with very little water: Add only 2 tbsp cold water to begin with. Cold water keeps the chutney bright green by preventing heat build-up from blending.

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    Blend in short pulses: Pulse the blender 5 or 6 times to break things down, then run for 10 seconds. Stop and scrape the sides. The mixture should look thick and bright green.

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    Adjust the consistency: Add more cold water 1 tbsp at a time until you get the consistency you want — thicker for spreading on sandwiches, thinner for drizzling on chaat. Do not overdo the water.

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    Add lemon juice last: Once the chutney is the right consistency, add the juice of 1 lemon. Pulse just twice to combine. Adding lemon at the end keeps the colour vivid; blending it through for too long dulls the green.

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    Taste and adjust: Dip a clean spoon and taste. The chutney should hit you with three notes at once — herby, sharp from the chilli and lemon, and salty. Adjust salt, lemon or chilli to your liking.

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    Store correctly: Transfer to a clean glass jar (not metal — it reacts with the lemon and turns the chutney dark). Press a layer of cling film directly onto the surface to keep air out, then close the lid. Refrigerate up to 3 days. To freeze, portion into ice cube trays and use within a month.