Staple Corner: Hot Green Chili Sauce

My copy of Lord Krishna's Cuisine by Yamuna Devi spends nearly as much time on my desk as it does on my kitchen bookshelf. Commonly referred to as the bible of Indian cuisine in my house, this book contains a wealth of valuable information on Indian cooking traditions, in addition to providing cooks with a seemingly endless range of ideas for Indian meals. My latest excursion into Ms. Devi's book found me flipping through the Chutneys, and Sauces and Relishes chapters. I was looking for a condiment to serve along with the baked paneer and chickpea cutlets I had planned.

I settled on a hot green chili sauce that I have modified somewhat from the original recipe. The tomatoes are only cooked for a short period of time over low heat making this a very fresh tasting sauce that turned out to be the perfect spicy accompaniment to the cutlets. I enjoyed it the next day with some samosas and look forward to trying it with other Indian snacks and pastries.

Hot Green Chili Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on April 16, 2008 A simple, vibrant and fresh tasting Indian-style hot green chili sauce Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 5 to 6 jalapeños or green chilies, chopped 3 tomatoes, chopped 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped 1/3 cup fresh coriander or parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon oil or butter 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon asafetida 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice Instructions: Combine the jalapeños or chilies, tomatoes, ginger, coriander or parsley, and salt in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and stir for 1 or 2 minutes or until the seeds have darkened a few shades. Add the asafetida, stir once, and immediately add the tomato mixture to the pan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper and lime juice. Can be served cold or at room temperature. Makes 2 cups of sauce