Diwali is coming, so it's the perfect time to share this easy mint & coriander chutney. A simple green Indian dip from the book Celebrate Diwali by Renu Bhardwaj.
A simple homemade dip can really elevate a meal or snack and this classic Indian chutney is a must-have recipe.
Make a batch and keep it in your fridge to perk up dishes.
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🥣 Indian green chutney
Indian families have their own version of this vibrant green chutney.
It's a simple dip served with chaat (street snacks), poppadoms, and snacks like aloo tikki (Indian spiced potato balls or patties) vegetable samosas or onion bhajis.
No need to cook it either, as this is a blender (or food processor) chutney a bit like the red chilli garlic chutney I shared, which you all really loved.
It's oil-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally vegan.
This fresh, spicy, and tangy chutney is a must-have recipe.
⭐ Celebrate Diwali
This deliciously easy cilantro mint chutney comes from a colourful new book called Celebrate Diwali by Renu Bhardwaj.
This joyful book celebrates the Hindu festival of light, which is called Diwali (pronounced divali), with easy but delicious Indian recipes and simple crafts.
It also has ideas for decorating your home during this fun festival where light is used to combat darkness as good conquers evil.
This year (2024) it starts on 31st October and lasts 5 days, so it's a good time to combine the Scottish tradition of Halloween (All Hallow's Eve) and this Hindu festival of light.
Start with your carved pumpkin lit up with a candle, but add a few of the colourful decorations from this book and some twinkly lights, candles or lanterns and plan a curry night.
But remember to wear bright colours!
You know you want to and it's so much fun and nice to learn about other faiths and festivals.
📋 Recipes to celebrate Diwali
Here is a list of the recipes you can find in this richly vibrant book.
Starters
- Samosa Chaat - Smashed samosa & spiced chickpea salad
- Spicy Potato Balls - Spiced potato bites
- Chilli Paneer - An Indian cheese dish, where tofu could be substituted
Mains
- Chole Bhatura - Spiced chickpeas served with puffed deep-fried bread
- Maslala Chips - Indian style dirty fries
- Dal Makhani - Rich and creamy dal made with black lentils and kidney beans
- Achari Aloo - Pickled spiced potatoes
- Paneer Biryani - This one is vegetarian not vegan, a Indian cheese curry, but it does include really good tips for cooking the perfect rice.
Sides
- Kachumber Salad - An Indian chopped salad with a zingy citrus dressing
- Mint & Coriander Chutney - The recipe I'm sharing today
- Cucumber & Cumin Raita - A cooling yoghurt sauce, use vegan Greek yoghurt for this one
- Naan & Garlic Naan - Simple plain or garlic naan bread made with Greek yoghurt (you can use plant-based yoghurt)
Desserts
- Nanni's Kheer - Creamy rice pudding (use plant-based milk)
- Gulab Jamun - Deep-fried dumplings in syrup
- Kulfi - Nutty, spiced ice cream
Drinks
- Masala Chai - Spiced milky tea
- Spiced Spritzer - Fruity spiced mocktail
- Cucumber Mint Cooler - Refreshing mocktail
- Apple, Elderflower & Mint Sparkle - Sparkling summer drink
- Festive Ice Cubes - Flavourful ice cubes made with fruit and spices
As well as these gorgeous Indian recipes there's information about Diwali and how it's celebrated, there are ideas for crafts, gifts and food gifts with templates.
👩🏻🍳 Get your hands on the book
Celebrate Diwali is available in hardback from all good bookshops and online, but it's also available on kindle.
- Title : Celebrate Diwali
- Author : Renu Bhardwaj
- Publisher : Pop Press (15 Aug. 2024)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 192 pages
- ISBN-10 : 152993415X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1529934151
👩🏻🍳 What you need to make mint & coriander chutney
Here are the ingredients you need to make this vibrant green chutney to serve with your Indian snacks.
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh coriander leaves (fresh cilantro leaves)
- White onion
- Spring onion (scallion)
- Red chili pepper
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Chilli powder
- Garam masala powder
- Chaat masala powder (available in supermarkets)
- Cumin
- Sugar
- Water
To serve, add a dollop of vegan plain or Greek yoghurt and swirl it through, although this is optional.
Full recipe and method in the printable recipe card below.
🍛 How to serve easy mint chutney
Here are some ideas for serving this popular cilantro chutney often served in an Indian household or an Indian restaurant as part of traditional Indian cuisine and some more modern serving suggestions.
- Poppadoms - Serve crispy poppadoms with this dipping sauce and some mango chutney and raita as a snack or starter
- Vegetable samosas - use as a dip for these crispy parcels
- Onion bhajis - use as a dip for onion bhajis or low fat vegetable bhajis
- Dal - add a dollop to your dal when serving, try this spinach and coconut dal
- Curry - add a dollop to any curry when serving it
- Sandwich - spread on the bread when making a vegan cheese sandwich, then add some crisps (chips) for crunch
- Burger - top a black bean burger with this green dip
- Pizza - dunk your pizza crusts
- Toast - spread on buttery toast
- Oatcakes - spread on oatcakes and topped with s slice of cucumber and some crumbled vegan feta
I'm sure you will have some cool ideas too,
🌡️ Storing homemade mint chutney
Store this tangy green chutney in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Once you stir yoghurt through the chutney (if you do that), it can only be kept for 2-3 days.
🌡️ Freezing homemade mint chutney
This tangy green chutney can be frozen.
You can freeze it in portions in an ice cube tray then add to a labelled freezer bag and take it out as you need it.
You can freeze it for 3-4 months.
Pop a portion in the fridge overnight to defrost or use the defrost function on a microwave.
🥪 More Indian-style lunch recipes
Looking for other tasty vegan recipes with an Indian flare? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Easy Mint & Coriander Chutney Recipe - Indian Dip
Ingredients
- 80 g fresh mint
- 50 g fresh coriander (cilantro)
- ¼ white onion
- 3 spring onions (scallions) (trimmed)
- 1 lemon (juice only)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mint sauce (or 1 teaspoon of sugar)
- 2 tablepsoons cold water (2 - 3 tablespoons of water or one ice cube if you have a powerful blender or food processor)
- 1 tablespoon plant-based yoghurt (to swirl in, optional)
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients apart from the yoghurt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If it's too thick to blend, add 2-3 tablespoons water and blend again. It should be smooth and runny, thinner than pesto.
- Taste to check the seasoning and spoon into an airtight container or a clean jam jar and store in the fridge.
- When serving you can stir through some yoghurt.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Store this tangy green chutney in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Once you stir yoghurt through the chutney (if you do that), it can only be kept for 2-3 days.
- You can freeze it in portions in an ice cube tray then add to a labelled freezer bag and take it out as you need it. You can freeze it for 3-4 months. Pop a portion in the fridge overnight to defrost or use the defrost function on a microwave.
- Each portion is 2 tablespoons and 30 calories - this includes yoghurt, it will be slightly less calories without the yoghurt.
Jill says
I've had that in my local Indian restaurant Jacqs but never thought it would be so easy to make. I will have to track down the chaat spice though. Jill x
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Yes super easy to make Jill. I checked the Tesco app and they sell chaat masala, so I am assuming other supermarkets will too.
Sammie Jo says
I made this last night to go with our mushroom curry with naan bread and it is really tasty. I couldn't find the chat masala so just used more of the other masala spice.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I am so glad you enjoyed it Sammie Jo and good tweak with the spices too.
Lesley says
This is tasty stuff and so easy to make. L
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh yes, super simple to make and taste great.