Every cuisine has a sauce that’s an absolute essential—a ride or die, if you will. For South Asian food, this is a cilantro mint green chutney. It brings a punchy, herb-packed burst of flavor that goes with pretty much everything. This recipe combines cilantro, mint, and just the right amount of heat from green chiles, creating a balance of spice and freshness. Lime juice adds brightness, while cumin, sugar, and chaat masala add complexity. Use this as a zesty topping for your favorite dish or as a base for pani puri water (just add 1½ cups [360 ml] of water and strain), or make it creamy with yogurt or sour cream to use for spreading and dipping.
Slow-roasting Japanese sweet potatoes flesh-side down releases their natural sugars, caramelizing and deepening their sweetness. The flesh becomes incredibly tender, almost custard-like in texture, while the skin turns a rich golden brown and becomes slightly crispy. So don’t bother peeling them! Top them with tamarind concentrate (I like Tamicon, Cock Brand, Pure Indian Foods, or Dragonfly—anything without citric acid), green chutney, fresh onions, tomatoes, and cilantro for a chaat-inspired appetizer.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Yield
3–4 servings
Ingredients
Evergreen Chutney
2
1
6
½
2
1½
1
1
Chaat
1½
½
½
½
3
2
1
1
2
1
3
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Evergreen Chutney
Step 1
To a blender or food processor, add 2 bunches cilantro (about 6 oz. [170 g]), leaves and stems, 1 bunch mint (about 2 oz. [55 g]), leaves and tender stems, 6 green Thai chiles or 2 serranos, stemmed (more if you want it spicier), ½ cup (120 ml) lime juice (from about 5 limes), 2 tsp. cumin seeds, 1½ tsp. fine sea salt, 1 tsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. chaat masala. Pulse for a few seconds in intervals until the ingredients are pulverized into a smooth paste. Transfer to an airtight container and store until ready to use, up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer.
Chaat
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3
Drizzle the sheet with extra-virgin olive oil and place 1½ lb. (680 g) Japanese or Korean sweet potatoes, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut-side down. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden and caramelized on the cut side and cooked through and tender; a knife inserted into the center of the potato should slide through easily. Let rest for 5 to 8 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut the sweet potatoes into 1" to 2" [2.5 to 5 cm] pieces.
Step 4
To a small bowl, add ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream and ½ tsp. fine sea salt and whisk to combine. If you’re using sour cream, thin it out with a little water.
Step 5
Place the sweet potatoes on a serving platter and drizzle the yogurt, ½ cup Evergreen Chutney, 3 Tbsp. tamarind concentrate or paste, and 2 Tbsp. lime juice evenly all over. Sprinkle with 1 medium red tomato (5 oz. [140 g]), finely chopped, 1 small red onion (7 oz. [200 g]), finely chopped, 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, 1 tsp. chaat masala, 3 green Thai chiles or 1 serrano, stemmed, thinly sliced, and crispy sev and serve immediately.
Do Ahead: You can make the individual components a day ahead of time and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator, then assemble to serve.
