Indian food condiments: how to use

December 11, 2005 6:54 PM

How do I use these Indian food condiments?

Every time I order Indian food, they include three condiments: Some kind of tamarind-based sauce, a green minty sauce that I don't care for, and (what I believe is) a mango chutney.

What is the "traditional" use of these condiments? Sprinkled over rice? A dipping sauce for nan/poori?

posted by Brian James to food & drink (15 comments total)

The tamarind and the mint chutney are usually for finger-foods - samosas, uttapam, even idlis. The mango chutney goes wherever you feel like. I usually glob it on top of the curry, which is on top of the rice.

Your kilometerage may vary.
posted by metaculpa at 6:58 PM on December 11, 2005

Could the green minty sauce be raita (ie a yoghurt based mix with cucumber and/or mint in it)? If so, its purpose is to be eaten with or after a mouthful of anything spiced very hot, as an antidote to the chilli.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:49 PM on December 11, 2005

Actually, if you don't mind, could I add another question to your question?

I feel like when I go to sort of upscale North Indian type places, I always see the tamarind, mint, and onion chutneys. When I go to more authentic-feeling, spicy, no-atmosphere family-run places (which tend to be South Indian around here), they give you lime pickle or some other intensely salty, funky tasting condiment. Is this a regional difference or an "authenticity" difference?
posted by rxrfrx at 7:50 PM on December 11, 2005

rxrfrx: a regional difference. [q: I'm south indian]
posted by dhruva at 8:35 PM on December 11, 2005

Could the green minty sauce be raita

If it's the same green minty sauce I get at the Indian place here, it's not raita. It's an intense bright green that seems to have no dairy about it, but has a strong mint/cilantro flavor. I love it, especially on the crispy cracker they always include. No idea what the cracker is called.
posted by Miko at 9:38 PM on December 11, 2005

No idea what the cracker is called.
Could it be a poppadom?

I think metaculpa got it right with regards to the finger foods and the mango chutney being used on anything.
posted by Third at 10:21 PM on December 11, 2005

My guess is the green sauce is cilantro chutney.

No idea what the cracker is called.

Very thin and round with a bubbly surface? Then that would be a papad or papadum, I love them with tamarind chutney.
posted by squeak at 10:22 PM on December 11, 2005

I'm South Indian, but grew up in North India. Yes, condiments vary widely because the cuisine of the various regions in India itself is so varied.

The green chutney is usually a mix of coriander (you Americans call it cilantro), mint, green chillies (some people don't use it), salt, and yoghurt. Goes well with grilled spicy food and helps to offset some of the spiciness too. A raita is mostly yoghurt and a different beast.


The tamarind imli chutney is wonderful with food like samosas and kachoris.

The mango chutney... no idea. Stuff like that would be more likely to be found in restaurants than home-style cooking.
posted by madman at 11:20 PM on December 11, 2005

(In the US, I think cilantro is the leaves and coriander the seeds; in India, the leaves are called coriander I guess.)

Stuff like that would be more likely to be found in restaurants than home-style cooking.

Yes, if it's the Major Grey's bland stuff. But solid eye-puckering chutney I've found in many a home (in Maharashtra, at least). It does seem to be a middle class thing, though.
posted by metaculpa at 11:24 PM on December 11, 2005

The green stuff can be cilantro or mint chutney depending on the place. The salty stuff someone commented on I'm sure is a pickle of some sort (there are sooo many kinds). There are a lot of those... You use just a little and mix with your rice and curry depending on your taste. At south indian restaurants you can get a coconut chutney or a delecious tomatoe coconut chutney.
posted by aussicht at 12:15 AM on December 12, 2005

But solid eye-puckering chutney I've found in many a home

Oh yes, there are lots of little pick-me-up condiments in the various regional cuisines of the country. Some can blow your head off. Try the Andhra condiments and food. It's like rocket fuel.
posted by madman at 1:32 AM on December 12, 2005

On a slight-but-totally-related tangent, I used to go to an Indian restaurant in Vancouver which offered a variant on the diner-breakfast special. Basically it was a fairly standard western eggs-potatoes-meat breafast, but was served with papadum and a side dish of 4 indian condiments. These go unbelieveably well with fried eggs and potatoes - far more interesting than ketchup with the morning meal.
posted by Gortuk at 5:26 AM on December 12, 2005

You dip your poppadums in those babies. Or rather, you spoon little bits of them onto poppadum pieces. A bit like you'd attack the salsa and guac with tortilla chips in your local Mexican.
posted by Decani at 6:01 AM on December 12, 2005

If you get a white chutney, that's coconut chutney. Indian chutneys also go well on dosas and uttapam (both South Indian entrees).

Indian chutney is a puree, while British chutney seems to be a jelly. The jelly, as far as I understand, has no role in Indian cuisine.
posted by goethean at 8:28 AM on December 12, 2005

If I may sidetrack: does anyone have a recipe for the tamarind chutney/sauce? I haven't been able to find a jarred one that tastes sweet and spicy like the restaraunt versions.
posted by wzcx at 10:10 AM on December 12, 2005