Indian Chutneys

Chutneys are normally eaten with snacks, like samosas, pakoras, kebabs, bonda and chaats. These snack foods are served while chatting before the meal at a restaurant, at afternoon tea or bought at outdoor food carts. When eating at someone's home, they are usually not part of the meal you'll have at the table, but are served in the living area, with cocktails. Often lighter chutneys like mint, tamarind or cilantro chutneys, are eaten with them, but other, heavier chutneys, frequently made with grated coconut and/or ground up nuts or lentils, are eaten with main dish items like dosa, idli, uttapam (all south Indian steamed breads) and other South Indian breakfast/lunch foods.

Delicately spiced, these Indian condiments range in taste, texture and colour to suit every palate, be it hot, sour, salty or sweet. Chutneys usually are wet, having a coarse to fine texture.

Chutneys can be classified in two basic categories. The fresh chutneys, those that are blended with fresh ingredients and spices, and require no cooking whatsoever, and the cooked chutneys, that are simmered over a low heat till all the flavours are blended well. While chutneys are enjoyed and eaten in almost every home throughout the country, it is as diverse in its flavour as the number of hands that make it everyday.

In the North, chutneys are predominantly used in chaats, Indian street food and snacks.. The two most common chutneys you'll find: the green cilantro-mint chutney, which should be "refreshing, tangy, and herbaceous," is generally used with tandoori meats, while the sweet-and-tangy tamarind chutney goes best with fried foods like pakoras and onion bhaji. "It's sweet and acidic, so it goes well with fried things. And no chaat is complete without at least one—or usually both.

Another standard chutney served in American restaurants is a red Onion Chutney.

Some of the most popular chutneys include:

Hari (Coriander) Chutney (fresh): Made with fresh cilantro (green coriander) and a variety of spices. Tastes delicious with pakoras, samosas, chaat and many more popular Indian snacks.

Imli (Tamarind) Chutney (cooked): A slow simmering chutney of tamarind pulp, jaggery (unrefined sugar) and a mix of spices, this tangy chutney is always a welcome companion to many Indian snacks. It is a wonderful blend of sweet and sour flavours with a hint of spice and adds that much needed zing to many popular street foods. 

Coconut Chutney (fresh): A favourite accompaniment to the spicy Masala Dosa, this fresh chutney is made by blending freshly grated coconut with generous amounts of green chillies, fresh ginger, curry leaves, Urad dal and mustard seeds.

Tomato Chutney (cooked): This refreshingly sweet chutney is made by slowing cooking fresh tomatoes with an added flavour of curry leaves, ginger and spices. Eaten hot or cold it brings a wonderful additional dose of flavour to any simple meal. 

Tamarind Date Chutney (cooked):

Mango Chutney (cooked): This chutney is easily made by sautéing diced mangoes with an array of different spices and lemon juice. As much as it is enjoyed with a traditional Indian meal, it also serves as a great topping for any regular sandwich.  

Onion Chutney (cooked): Onion chutney is a quick two-step process. First, sliced onions are sautéed in a skillet with red chillies. Then, once cooled, it is blended to a touch of tamarind and sugar to a smooth fine paste. A perfect blend of spicy, sweet and sour, this delicious relish is good enough to enjoy on its own.

Mint Chutney (fresh): Uncooked chutney of pureed mint, green chili peppers, garlic and flavored with tamarind paste and a touch of sugar.

Lime Cilantro Chutney (fresh): Uncooked chutney of pureed cilantro, green chili peppers, garlic and flavored with lime and a touch of sugar.

Spicy Garlic Chutney:

Chutney by Indian region

North:
Haryana — tamarind chutney
Himachal Pradesh — guava and eggplant chutneys
Punjab — pudina (mint) chutney, onion chutney, tamarind chutney, mango chutney
Uttar Pradesh — coriander, garlic, mint chutney, sweet and sour mango, green chili, red chili and jaggery chutneys

West:
Gujarat — Hot lime chutneys
Maharashtra — hot raw mango chutney, guramba, panchamrit, Mirachicha Thecha. Dry chutneys made with Javas (Flax seed), Solapuri Shenga (peanut)/red chili powder chutney, Karale (Niger seed) and Peanut/garlic

South:
Andhra Pradesh — coconut, coriander, red chilli with grams, tomato, onion, and mango chutneys
Karnataka — coconut, peanut, tomato, tamarind, ridge gourd, Uchellu (Niger seed).
Kerala — coconut, pudina (mint), urad dal (a kind of legume), mango, dry fish, shrimp, and onion chutney
Tamil Nadu — coconut, coriander, curry leaf, red chilli, green chilli, tomato, onion, ginger, mint, mango, lentil

East::
Assam - coriander, spinach, tomato, curry leaf, chilli, radish, carrot, cucumber, beetroot, lentil, chickpea chutneys
Orissa — dhania (cilantro), pudina (mint), coconut, mango, orange, tomato, dry fish chutneys
West Bengal — fruit (mango, plum, apple, and apricot) chutneys