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Afghan green chutney
چتنی (chutni): Afghan coriander and green chilli chutney with garlic, walnuts and vinegar
No Afghan table of kebab or palaw feels complete without a little bowl of green chutni, the sharp, fiery relish spooned beside the rice, onto bolani and over grilled meat from Kabul to Kandahar. Unlike many South Asian green chutneys, the Afghan one leans on vinegar rather than lime and is thickened with walnuts, so it is slightly creamy, bright green and properly hot, with a pungent hit of raw garlic. Households make a jar at a time and keep it in the fridge through the week. People often blitz it into a thin juice; pulse it instead so you can still see flecks of leaf and nut. Chef's tip: keep the coriander stalks in, as they have more flavour than the leaves and help the chutney stay green for days.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ oz fresh coriander, leaves and stalksroughly chopped
- 4 green chilliesstalks removed, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlicpeeled
- 1 ⅜ oz walnut halves
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cold water
- ⅓ oz fresh mint leaves (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅜ oz walnut halves, 3 cloves garlic and 4 green chillies in a small food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped.
Step 2: Add 2 ⅛ oz fresh coriander, leaves and stalks, ⅓ oz fresh mint leaves, 4 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 /2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp cold water.
Step 3: Pulse in short bursts, scraping down the sides, until it is a thick, flecked green paste, not a smooth juice.
Step 4: Taste and add more salt or a splash of vinegar so it is sharp and hot. Spoon into a clean jar and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 40 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does afghan green chutney take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fresh coriander, leaves and stalks?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint (for people who dislike coriander too).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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