The many chutneys of India: How a little chutney on plate holds stories of region, season, thrift and memory

When one hears the word chutney, most people think of a green coriander-mint condiment served in restaurants or the sweet date-tamarind chutney that accompanies chaats. However, the reality is far more diverse and region-specific. Chutney varies from one community to another across India, transforming from dry and coarse to runny and thick.

Award-winning author and culinary chronicler Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal spent nearly a decade documenting chutneys all over the country. In 2017, she initiated Indian Food Observance Days, dedicating one day annually to celebrating chutneys. It gained popularity, with people sharing stories and recipes using the hashtag #ChutneyDay.

As a result, a book titled "Chutney: A Compendium of Stories and Recipes" was published, featuring around 230 recipes and inputs from over 120 regional food experts. The author explains that chutney has the power to connect people on a fundamental level and has also been affected by homogenization. The word 'chutney' was popularized by the colonials, and different parts of India historically had varied names for it.

Traditionally, chutney was just a small dot on the plate. In Assam, chutney was a fun creation using leftover ingredients like fresh green pea curry or family garden produce such as amrud, amla, dhania, pudina, kairi, narangi, shehtut, figs, and mahua. Seasonality also plays a significant role in chutney preparation, with sour, sweet, and seasonal elements coming together.

In Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad-based chef Vignesh Ramachandran highlights the abundance of chutneys made from various vegetables, including aubergine, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ivy gourd, raw mango, cabbage, and tomato. Assam's tools, like the dheki, were essential in producing large batches of chutneys from hard fruits like hog plum or softer star fruit.

Chutney's versatility extends to weddings, where Bengal has tok and ombol, now often used interchangeably. Chutney remains a vital part of Kashmiri cuisine, with three essential varieties: Doon Chetin, Mujj Chetin, and Pudin Chetin.