Chutney and other Condiments

Chutney has established its popularity throughout India and abroad. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of variations of this illustrious condiment. Nearly every chutney begins with a base of herbs (e.g., cilantro or mint) or fruit (e.g., dates or tamarind), sometimes a thickening agent such as nuts, spiciness (any combination of spices, chili, garlic, and ginger), acid (from the fruit base, āmchur/dried green mango powder, or lime), and salt (often kālā namak/black salt for depth of flavor). The word “chutney” is probably more aptly spelled “chatni” to keep with the spelling conventions of this book, but I’ve intentionally used the most common spelling here since it’s more easily recognized.