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Bhang ki chutney
भांग की चटनी: roasted hemp seeds ground with lemon, mint and chilli into a nutty Kumaoni chutney
In Kumaon every kitchen keeps a jar of hemp seeds, and this tangy chutney is ground fresh to go with rotis, aloo ke gutke and festive pakodas all through the year. It uses hulled, food-grade hemp seeds sold for cooking, which are not psychoactive at all; they simply taste like a cross between sesame and toasted pine nuts. The seeds are dry-roasted, ground with mint, chilli and the juice of the big hill lemon, and loosened with a little water. The usual mistake is roasting the seeds too dark, which turns the chutney bitter and grey. Chef's tip: grind in a mortar or with short pulses and stop while it still has some texture; a perfectly smooth paste loses the pleasant crunch.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chutney
- 2 ⅛ oz hulled food-grade hemp seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chillieschopped
- ⅔ oz fresh mint leaves
- ½ oz fresh coriander
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cold water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 2 ⅛ oz hulled food-grade hemp seeds and ½ tsp cumin seeds in a pan over medium-low heat, shaking often, for 3–4 minutes until they smell nutty and just begin to pop; they should stay pale tan.
4 minStep 2: Tip onto a plate and cool for 2 minutes.
2 minStep 3: Grind the seeds with ¾ tsp salt to a coarse powder.
1 minStep 4: Add 2 green chillies, ⅔ oz fresh mint leaves and ½ oz fresh coriander and grind again in short pulses.
2 minStep 5: Add 3 tbsp lemon juice and ¼ cup cold water and grind to a spoonable, slightly grainy chutney. Taste and add more lemon or salt; it should be sharp and tangy.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bhang ki chutney take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of fresh mint leaves?
- Fresh coriander, same amount.
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