ਚਟਨੀ

What does chatni mean in Punjabi? Chatni (ਚਟਨੀ) is a strongly flavoured ground sauce eaten in small spoonfuls with a Punjabi meal or snack. The best known in Punjab are the fresh green chutney of coriander and mint and the sweet and sour tamarind chutney served with pakoras, samosas and chaat.

What does chatni mean in Punjabi?

The Punjabi word chatni comes through Hindi and Urdu chatni, which comes from chatna, meaning to lick or to taste. The name fits the food: a chatni is tasted in small amounts, not eaten by the bowl, and a good one makes plain food worth licking your fingers for. In English the same word is written chutney, and chatni is listed as an alternative name for it.

Which chatnis are eaten in Punjab?

The everyday Punjabi chatni is the green one: fresh coriander leaves, often with mint, ground with green chilli, lemon juice, salt, cumin and black pepper, and made fresh for the meal. Beside it sits the sweet and sour tamarind chatni poured over chaat and served with samosas. In North India, unripe mango chatni is a favourite in season, and tomato chatni is eaten across India.

How is chatni different from achar?

Chatni and achar are both sharp side dishes, but they are made differently. A fresh chatni is ground and eaten at once, while achar is a pickle, packed and kept. Chutneys as a class fall into two broad groups: simple fresh preparations that must be eaten immediately, and preserves that are bottled and kept until needed, often fruit cooked with sugar and vinegar and flavoured with spices.

How is fresh chatni made?

Traditionally the ingredients are pounded in a mortar or ground on a stone, and in many homes a small grinder does the work now. The flavourings are ground fresh, and include spices such as chilli and ginger as well as herbs like coriander and mint. Because a fresh chatni is not cooked or preserved, it is made for the day and tastes best straight after grinding.