New Delhi: No meal is complete without chutney in Indian households. Be it a plain or stuffed paratha, dosa, idli or even fried rice, some delicious chutney on the side always enhances the food palate, especially the home-made ones. Chutneys are basically made with mild spices and fresh ingredients ranging from garlic, mint & more, and have slightly thick consistency.Also Read - 7 Reasons to Eat Dhania And Pudina Chutney Regularly

For those of you who are food lovers, here we have compiled a list of some of the Indian chutneys that are not just quick and easy to make, but are also packed with nutritive qualities that will give you immense health benefits. Check them out here. Also Read - How to Throw a Chaat Party

From Garlic to Mint-Coriander, 7 Tasty Desi Chutneys And Their Health Benefits

  • Tomato chutney

This is one of the popularly made chutneys in desi households. They are not just scrumptious but also extremely nutritious as tomatoes are packed with important vitamins such as vitamin C, B, E and minerals like potassium. In fact, they also contain a bioactive compound called lycopene, which can protect your cells from damage. Also, some people add sugar to it; however, it is advisable to replace that with jaggery to improve health benefits.

  • Garlic chutney

Garlic is one of the key ingredients in India to make any kind of dish. A study published in Antioxidants in 2020 suggests that garlic is incredibly nutritious and has many disease-preventing properties. As per the study, eating garlic regularly can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and even heart disease. Usually, people add coconut, peanuts and even red chillies to make garlic chutney, which increases the concentration of antioxidants in this relish and makes it all the more healthy! Ever tried garlic chutney?

  • Mint-coriander chutney

This one goes well with idli, dosa or even freshly-made hot parathas. For the uninitiated, both mint and coriander leaves are replete with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. According to health experts, they also consist of a substantial amount of dietary fiber.

How to make mint-coriander chutney?

Ingredients:

  • 2 bowls fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
  • 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves
  • 1 small onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger
  • 1 green chilli (as per taste)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • Salt (as per taste)
  • 2-3 tbsp water (as needed to make desired consistency)

Preparation:

  • Remove the tough stalks of the fresh herbs (coriander & mint leaves)
  • Blend/puree all ingredients to a smooth consistency
  • Serve as condiment, dip or spread and enjoy!

  • Coconut chutney

Who doesn’t love coconut chutney? Coconut chutney is prepared using fresh coconut, dry red chillies, coriander leaves, and mustard seeds. It’s now just famous in South India but is also equally relished in North India. Coconut is replete with fibre which is effective for metabolism. Consuming coconut chutney also helps in improving bowel movement. This further prevents any digestion-related issues like indigestion, diarrhea, constipation among others.

  • Peanut chutney

This chutney comes in handy! Peanuts may be high in calories however, they’re low in carbs and rich in plant proteins, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Many people usually also add tomatoes, onions and garlic to this chutney which adds on to its nutritive qualities.

  • Raw mango chutney

It is mango season and raw mangoes are exceptionally rich in vitamin A, C and E and are packed with minerals and antioxidants as well. Though only available from spring to summer, this raw fruit is very nutritious and makes a delicious sweet-and-sour chutney. In fact, the presence of niacin makes raw mangoes healthy for heart too.
Again, make sure to not add white sugar to this chutney and instead rely on jaggery or brown sugar to add some sweetness to it.

  • Tamarind/imli chutney

Ever tried imli chutney? This sour fruit has very high amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B5 as well as minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium and phosphorus. Tamarind is also exceptionally rich in flavonoids, which makes it additionally healthy for you.