A two decade old recipe by my mother that yields a spicy, lemony Indian chutney made with a base of mint leaves and cilantro. This chutney is incredibly versatile and works with sandwiches, meat, marinades, sides, etc
Prep the cilantro and mint. If working with bunches of cilantro from a grocery store, cut ½ inch off of the end of the stems but leave the rest intact. Remove any dead leaves/sticks, thicker sticks, or other plants that may have grown in with the cilantro. For the mint, remove all leaves from the stems. Wash the herbs and strain out any water.
Add all the ingredients to a high powered blender except for the water. Pulse several times while slowly adding water until the herbs starts to break down. Be sure to pause a few times to scrape down the sides and push the herbs down towards the blades. Blend for 5-7 minutes with the lid on until the mixture is smooth and thick. At this point, taste and adjust it for salt, lemon, and spice levels.
Set a 16oz mason jar onto a plate to catch any chutney that falls out of the blender. Pour the mixture into the mason jar. Add about a tablespoon of water to the blender to rinse out any chutney and pour into the mason jar. Close the mason jar tightly and give it a few shakes.
Notes
Spice Level: This chutney is meant to have a bit of a kick to it, but it should be very tolerable. Be careful with how much spice you're adding, add it slowly and taste it at each interval.
Serrano Peppers: You can substitute serrano peppers for Thai chili peppers. If you don't have whole peppers, double the amount of cayenne and don't omit the avocado.
Avocado: If you find yourself without a ripe avocado, substitute for 1tbsp of plain Greek yogurt.
Salt: The amount of salt may seem like a lot, but this is what I tracked until I got the taste right for myself. If you're not sure, add it in slowly and keep tasting it until you like it.
Mint: Remove all mint stems. They will make your chutney bitter and won't blend well.