The idea behind this herb and spice blend is to add flavor and spice to any dish. The addition of fresh cilantro and chile flakes work well with the sweet and spicy notes of this paste.
The other day I was making this simple dish and realized it was just as good as the store-bought version. I just use a whole lot less cilantro and chile flakes, and I think I’m going to have to make this again one day.
Although this is a wonderful spice blend, it can be a little bland and lacking in flavor when used with less-than-perfect ingredients. If you find yourself wanting a little extra flavor, try adding a little more fresh cilantro and chile flakes.
One of our editors, a food writer who has had trouble finding the right spices to make her own chutney, shared a recipe with us. This recipe makes about 1 cup, and it can be doubled for a larger batch.
Ant chutney isn’t your average chutney. It’s a spicy, fiery sauce that’s often used as a condiment, and is often served alongside the stuff you bake with. The original recipe calls for green chilies, which are a common spice, but I didn’t have any. You can substitute 1 tablespoon of chili powder for the green peppers if you like. The recipe calls for a can of tomatoes with the chilies, but we didn’t find any.
The recipe is simple, just heat the sauce in a medium saucepan, add the tomatoes, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the chilies, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. There could still be a bit of the chilies left if you stir really vigorously.
And of course, we could just try it for ourselves.
We tried it with the chilies and it turned out fine. The only problem was that the chilies were a bit spicy so be careful about that. We would definitely recommend using a can of regular tomatoes, which should definitely work fine, and a can or two of a milder red onion, which doesn’t really seem to matter much but could still be a bit hot.
It’s a good idea to season chilies with salt and black pepper, but that’s obviously up to you. The only thing you can really do is mix it with cream or yogurt. The chilies are just a general rule of thumb. You might not like the heat, but it’s better than the heat of a chipotle chile.
I dont know about you, but when I want something really hot, I go for a can of chipotle chile.