Mint and Coriander chutney (Green chutney)

In India pickles and chutneys have such an important role that, if it is not served in a platter it looks incomplete. Though i am not fond of chutneys or hot spices but there are certain dishes which looks incomplete without it. Green chutney goes as an accomplishment with lot of things like stuffed parathas, aloo tiki, pakodas, dhokla, samosa and the list is endless. I make this one quite frequently as in every week or so and store it for days ahead. As i always say, there is no hard and fast rule to stick to a particular ingredient. One can always alter according to their taste and come up with their great recipe. I have seen my mom making this chutney many times but mine have a bit alterations and it soothes my taste buds. So who ever is reading this blog, i must say cooking is an art so go ahead and experiment with different ingredients, you will discover lots of different flavour.

Mint and coriander chutney

Lets look at the ingredients:-

1. Fresh mint leaves 1 bundle
2. Fresh coriander leaves 1 bundle
3. Salt as per taste
4. Sugar 1tbsp
5. Tomato 1 
6. Ginger 4-5 wedges
7. Garlic 4-5 buds
8. Green chili or red chili
9. Garam masala
10. Asafotida powder

Firstly take fresh mint and coriander leaves. Wash them thoroughly and chop them as shown in the picture below. 

After that put all the ingredients in a grinder and grind it to make a smooth paste.

One can see the consistency as shown below. I have used coriander leaves along with mint leaves as using mint alone gives a very strong taste. But if one is having only mint leaves then onion can be used to neutralise its strong flavour. Also tomato is must for this recipe as it gives a tangy taste and also provides a smooth consistency. If one is running short of tomato then lemon juice along with little water can be used to adjust the consistency.

Benefits of mint leaves:-

• Mint leaves eliminate toxins from the body and when included in the diet on a regular basis, eliminates bacteria and fungus from the body.
• Teeth become white if mint leaves are chewed once or twice a week.
• Abdominal pain, gas trouble, vomiting sensation can be prevented by mixing ½  tea spoon of mint leaves extract in one cup of water.
•   Mint helps in getting rid of headaches and migraines.