Few cultures know how to jazz up a meal better than India.
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cultures → know → India
From a quick green mango pickle to a blitz-and-go green chilli and mint chutney, consider this your hit list of the subcontinent’s quickest-to-make condiments.
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this → blitz → condiments
These are punchy tastes, ready in as little as two minutes and taking no longer than 15.
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These → take → 15
More descriptions than set recipes, you will need to taste as you season.
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you → set → recipes
From Italy’s basil pesto to the myriad variations of tabbouleh found in the Levant, it’s a rare culture that can’t boast a chop-and-go herby green, chutney-style condiment.
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that → find → condiment
Green chilli and coriander is the duo prized across India, but this version takes on a Kashmiri accent with the use of fresh mint.
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version → prize → mint
For this chutney, jam a bunch of freshly washed mint in a blitzer, with only the thickest part of the stalks removed.
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part → jam → stalks
For a medium spicy chutney, toss in 2 small green chillies, seeds included.
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seeds → toss → chillies
If you like it hotter, raise the number of green chillies from that base.
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it → like → base
Add 6 cloves of quality, pungent garlic, season with sea salt, and give it a little density with 2 or 3 tablespoons of a thick plain yoghurt − Greek is great, or labne would be interesting.
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labne → add → yoghurt
It will keep for a few days in the fridge.
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It → keep → fridge
An easy onion raita
Raita is India’s catch-all word for any yoghurt-based condiment served up as a side.
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Raita → base → side
And the balance of salt is determined by whether the yoghurt is blended with a little water, a little milk or a little vinegar.
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yoghurt → determine → water
Raita blended with water can handle a little more salt.
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Raita → blend → salt
Blended with vinegar, it needs a little less.
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it → blend → less
This easy onion raita takes the Goldilocks yoghurt and milk route.
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raita → take → route
In a bowl, whisk 1 cup of yoghurt with enough milk to break the yoghurt’s density, but not have it become too liquid.
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it → whisk → density
Stir, before seasoning with sea salt (a pink salt will taste too salty).
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salt → stir → salt
A tamarind drizzle sauce for when it’s got to be tangy
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it → get → sauce
Samosa and pakora demand tang, which is the origin of this recipe from my kitchen.
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which → demand → kitchen
But I’ve since learned it is fantastic massaged into roasting vegetables and meats – whole chook rubbed with rosemary, salt and pepper and tamarind sauce is a mood – or sparingly tossed through warm cous cous alongside fresh chopped parsley and very finely diced tomato.
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chook → learn → parsley
I start with a few tablespoons of peanut oil in a small pot and then add some tomato paste, enough to thicken the oil.
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I → start → oil
Whisk it as it warms until it combines and then season with salt, a little sweet rice vinegar and sumac.
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it → whisk → salt
Ground cumin will help it thicken a little, just a bit.
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it → help → ?
But the real zing comes from tamarind concentrate, chilli powder (to taste) and then whatever soft or rich brown sugar you have in the pantry.
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you → come → pantry
For me, it’s jaggery powder.
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it → ’ → me
Keep tasting and seasoning to get the balance right, and that’s it.
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that → keep → ?
It might split a little as it cools, but a quick whisk will set that to rights.
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whisk → split → rights
Five-minute carrots with kick
This is one pickle that takes almost longer to sterilise the jar than it does to pull it together.
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it → take → it
While they’re drying under kitchen towel, heat a half cup of mustard oil in a frying pan and add 1 or 2 chopped red chillies alongside chopped garlic to taste, maybe 2 to 4 cloves.
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they → dry → garlic
Add the cooled carrots when the spices are aromatic, and you’re done.
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you → add → carrots
You’ll need to wait for the pickles to cool before spooning into a jar and refrigerating.
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pickles → need → jar
Serving suggestions: These are amazing rolled up in a salad pita or chopped into any slow-cooked beef stew.
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These → roll → stew
The Aporia
