Chutney is a sauce used mainly in Indian cuisine but is now gaining popularity around the globe. Its unique taste and health benefits, if made properly, are good reasons to add chutney to your table. Chutney is a spicy condiment that can be made of numerous ingredients like fruits, vegetables, herbs, coconut, vinegar, spices, salt, sugar and more.
In this article, we’ll give you an easy-to-make chutney recipe with the help of some commonly available Pitta pacifying herbs.
In summer, environmental heat increases Pitta dosha in the body particularly in Pitta prakriti (constitution) people. People having Pitta prakriti (constitution) can feel excessive heat and problems related to an increase in Pitta dosha. This chutney recipe can help in cooling down your body.
The word chutney is derived from the Hindi language word chatna which means to lick. The word chutney also means crushed. It is made by crushing all the ingredients.
Some people prefer to prepare fresh chutney before every use but you can also store it for two to three days in the refrigerator.
Though this recipe is Pitta pacifying, anyone with any constitution can eat this chutney. Pitta pacifying ingredients are used here mainly. But you can alter or add some ingredients to make it suitable to your constitution.
READ MORE: Pitta Diet: Everything You Need To Know
Pitta Pacifying Herbal Green Chutney Recipe
Preparation Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serving: 4 to 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup of freshly chopped cilantro or coriander
- ⅓ cup of fresh coconut or two tablespoon dried coconut ground in a coffee grinder
- ½ teaspoon dried coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 pinches of pink Himalayan salt, or according to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons raw sugar, or according to taste
- Water as needed (approximately 1/4 cup)
Steps For Making Chutney
Pureé all the ingredients in a blender.
Alternatively you could make the chutney by hand. In earlier days people utilized a stone mortar and hand pestle. Due to this slow crushing method, the chutney acquired more flavor and a coarse texture. Some people still prefer to make chutney with the a stone mortar and hand pestle. You can also try it to get an authentic taste of chutney.
The consistency of chutney is usually thick and syrupy. You can enjoy this chutney with a variety of dishes. It’s delicious served with vegetable dishes, rice, as a spread over bread or sandwiches, as a marinade and as a dip.
This green chutney is an herbaceous, mildly sweet and spicy condiment that enlivens any meal. Eat a dab with each bite of food.
READ MORE: Traditional South Indian Coconut Chutney Recipe + Health Benefits
Green Chutney Health Benefits
This chutney not only tastes delicious. It is also helpful in pacifying excessive Pitta dosha. It improves digestion, promotes appetite and relieves excessive thirst. Learn more about the Ayurvedic properties of green chutney.
Cilantro (Coriander, Coriandrum sativum)1
Cilantro has Pitta pacifying properties due to its tastes or ras. It is kashaya (astringent), tikta (bitter) and madhur (sweet) taste.
It is helpful in relieving excessive thirst. It improves the taste of food. It is an appetite stimulant. It improves digestive strength.
Coconut (Cocos Nucifera)2
Coconut has madhur (sweet) ras or taste. It has coolant properties which is why it is Pitta pacifying in nature. It relieves excessive burning sensations in the body due to vitiated Pitta dosha. It is helpful in excessive acidity. It has mild laxative properties and as a result, gives relief from bloating and other abdominal discomforts. It is helpful in excessive thirst.
Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare)3
Fennel is sheet or cool in nature and as a result, is helpful in pacifying Pitta dosha. It is useful in excessive thirst and has antiemetic properties. That means it relieves vomiting sensations.
It is an appetite stimulant and improves digestive strength. It has mild laxative properties.
Cumin (Cuminum Cyminum)4
Cumin gives taste to food. It is an appetite stimulant and improves digestive strength. It relieves pain in the stomach.
It does not pacify Pitta dosha but has Pitta aggravating properties. In this chutney however it is being used in a very small amount so it will not aggravate Pitta dosha. In this instance it is used to enhance the taste of the chutney. It also has additional health benefits related to the digestive system.
Sugar5
Sugar has a coolant property. It pacifies Pitta dosha. It is helpful in relieving excessive thirst. It is useful in excessive burning sensations in the body.
Himalayan Salt (Sendhav Lavan)6
In the renowned Ayurvedic text book Charak Samhita it is mentioned that it is the best salt among all salts. It has a little bit of a sweet flavor.
It balances all three doshas of the body. It imparts taste in food and improves digestion.
READ MORE: Pitta Diet For Summer Season
About the Author
Dr. Alka Sharma, BAMS is an Ayurvedic practitioner and an avid learner of the field. She graduated with a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar, Punjab in India. She has been practicing Ayurvedic medicine and doing related work for the last six years. She works as an independent consultant in Ayurveda through online consultancy services. She has a personal app on the Google play store where she consults patients on their health problems following the Ayurveda medical sciences. She additionally has a Masters degree in Business Administration for Health Sciences from Sikkim Manipal University (SMU), India.
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