Cilantro Chutney for a Masala Omelette

Currently I am enamored with a certain cookbook which I have owned for some time now but have yet to make any recipes from. This is this the first I have tried. In preparation for an omelette that I am *planning* on making tomorrow morning - from the same cookbook - I made this lovely bright green cilantro chutney.

said book, said chutney

The book is Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson. I bought it used from Amazon.com and I have been thumbing the pages for who knows how many months. Time to put some recipes to the test. From searching the net it seems that a cilantro chutney is for the most part comprised of these basic ingredients - cilantro, jalapenos, ginger, garlic, lime and salt. What I love about this recipe is that it calls for coconut milk and in my humble opinion anything which contains coconut is divine and worth trying.

1 - 5 jalapenos, seeded and roughly chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup creamed coconut or coconut milk
1 large bunch of cilantro
4 sprigs of mint
1/2 t salt
pinch of sugar
juice of 2 1/2 - 3 limes

 such a lovely green!

In a food processor blitz the jalapenos, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk.

Add cilantro and mint and mix everything until it's well blended.

Add salt and sugar and - while the food processor is on - pour the lime juice in slowly.

 my own additions (since I am not able to let my spice cabinet alone when I am in the kitchen) - about 1/2 tsp of cumin and coriander and 1 tsp of garam masala. I loved the final taste of the ingredients above but I couldn't stop thinking about eating this herby spicy chutney with something sweet. I kept wishing for tamarind and thought maybe the sweetness of garam masala would lend itself nicely to its flavor, which it did!

After everything was mixed and poured into a jar I added my spices and stirred it with a spoon. I thought to myself how much I will enjoy making this in the summer when the garden is in full swing. Cilantro grows so quickly, it's almost impossible to use it all up before it goes to seed. This recipe will come in handy for those bolting cilantro plants!

Now let's see if I can actually get up before work and make the Masala Omelette that accompanies this chutney in the book! If not the chutney will keep for a month, so no rush! - Miriam