Easy chutneys and dips to go with any meal

Food & Cooking · 6 min read

A good chutney can rescue a plain meal. A spoonful of something tangy, spicy or creamy turns plain rice, a dosa or a sandwich into something worth looking forward to. None of the recipes below need special skills, only a blender and a few minutes.

1. Mint and coriander chutney

The all-purpose green chutney. Blend a cup of mint leaves, two cups of coriander with tender stems, two green chillies, a small piece of ginger, a spoon of lemon juice, half a teaspoon of cumin and salt. Add a splash of cold water or a spoonful of curd for smoothness. Use ice-cold water if you want it to stay bright green; heat from long blending darkens it. It goes with samosas, sandwiches, kebabs and chaats.

2. Coconut chutney

The South Indian classic. Blend half a cup of grated coconut with two tablespoons of roasted chana dal (dalia), a green chilli, a small piece of ginger and salt, using water to loosen it. Finish with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and a dried red chilli in hot oil. Serve it with idli, dosa, vada or upma. It is best eaten the same day, or within a day if refrigerated, because coconut spoils quickly.

3. Tomato chutney

Cook two chopped tomatoes with a couple of garlic cloves, two dried red chillies and a pinch of salt until soft, then blend. Temper it with mustard seeds in oil. A teaspoon of jaggery balances the acidity. It works with dosa, paratha and rice with ghee, and keeps for three to four days in the fridge.

4. Tamarind and date chutney

The sweet and sour sauce behind many chaats. Soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in warm water, squeeze out the pulp, and simmer with a handful of seeded dates or jaggery, half a teaspoon each of roasted cumin powder, ginger powder and red chilli powder, and salt. Strain, cook until it thickens slightly and cool before using. Stored in a clean jar in the refrigerator, it lasts a couple of weeks and is ready to use for pani puri, bhel and samosa chaat.

5. Garlic and red chilli chutney

For heat lovers. Soak a few dried Kashmiri red chillies in hot water for 15 minutes, then grind them with garlic cloves, salt and a little oil. Kashmiri chillies give colour without too much fire. Spread it on sandwiches, mix it into rice or serve with vada pav. Use sparingly at first and adjust to taste.

6. Hung curd dip

Tie plain curd in a clean muslin cloth and let it hang for 30 to 60 minutes until thick. Mix with finely chopped cucumber, a little garlic, roasted cumin, salt and chopped mint. This dip resembles a thick raita and goes with kebabs, tikkas, parathas and raw vegetables. It keeps for about two days in the fridge.

7. Quick hummus

For something non-Indian but easy to make: blend a cup of boiled chickpeas with two tablespoons of tahini (or sesame paste), the juice of one lemon, a clove of garlic, salt and two to three tablespoons of cold water, plus a spoon of olive oil. Blend until smooth and add more water if it feels thick. It pairs with pita, cucumber, carrot sticks or even toast. Without tahini, you can use roasted sesame seeds or peanut butter in a pinch, though the flavour will change.

Quick pairing guide

Chutney or dip	Best with	Fridge life
Mint-coriander	Sandwiches, kebabs, chaat	2-3 days
Coconut	Idli, dosa, vada	1 day
Tomato	Dosa, paratha, rice	3-4 days
Tamarind-date	Chaat, samosa	10-14 days
Hung curd dip	Kebabs, parathas, veggies	2 days
Hummus	Pita, veggies, wraps	4-5 days

These storage times are approximate and depend on freshness and how cleanly you store and serve them.

Tips for better chutneys

• Taste and adjust salt and acidity at the end. Most chutneys need a balance of salty, sour, spicy and sometimes sweet.
• Use a clean, dry spoon every time to prevent spoilage.
• Store in glass jars or airtight containers rather than open bowls.
• Freeze mint or coriander chutney in ice-cube trays for portions that last a month.
• Roast spices such as cumin lightly before grinding for more flavour.

Tip: If a chutney tastes flat, a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon usually fixes it before you reach for more spice.

Final thoughts

You do not need to master all seven. Start with mint-coriander and tomato chutney, since they cover most meals, then add others as you feel confident. Keep a small stock of ingredients such as green chillies, lemon, dried chillies and curd, and you can have a fresh side ready within minutes.