Garlic chutney recipe

Spice lovers will adore this garlic chutney recipe! A fiery condiment made with garlic, chilli and lemon juice, it's perfect to serve with Indian cuisine and it certainly packs a punch.

You can use the garlic chutney as a condiment - a tiny taste gives a BIG flavour hit. You can also swirl it into yogurt or thin with water to make a fantastic dip. It can be added to curries to bring extra garlicky flavour and heat, either at the beginning with the onions, or later to add an extra kick.

My whole family love this garlic chutney, which is my take on a classic Indian recipe that has various regional variations and names, including lahsun chutney, lahsun ki chutney, lehsun chutney and bellulli chutney.

Some garlic chutney recipes give quite dry mix while others are quite liquid. This one is like a loose paste, perfect for dipping - you don't need a lot as it is intensely flavourful!

I've made this version with chilli powder, although some use fresh chillies, and I've opted for mild chilli powder so that we get plenty of rounded flavour without overwhelming heat.

Give this easy, quick garlic chutney recipe a try. It's super simple and quick to make.

Instructions

Peel all of the garlic cloves and pop them into a blender or mortar.

Add the chilli powder, lemon juice, oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Blitz or grind to a paste. If you want it to be looser, you can blend in a little more oil or a dash of water.

Serve and enjoy!

To store, transfer to a clean, dry jar, pour a little extra oil on top to keep it fresh, fit a tight lid and pop it in the fridge.

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect garlic chuntey

Is garlic chutney easy to make?

This garlic chutney is such a doddle to make. The hardest part is peeling all the garlic cloves, but I've included tips on a cheat's way to speedily peel garlic in the notes below.

Once you've got the garlic out of its skin, simply blitz with the other ingredients in a small blender. Alternatively, you can bash with a pestle and mortar if you want a chunkier finish.

I love having this punchy garlic chutney on hand in the fridge as it's so versatile. Use it straight up as a fiery dip, or add to curries and other recipes that call for garlic and chilli as a ready-made flavour explosion.

Will I need any special equipment to make garlic chutney?

You should be able to find everything you need to make this garlic chutney in the average kitchen.

I like to use a small blender to whizz my chutney into a smooth paste, if you prefer a chunkier finish with small pieces of garlic throughout then use a mortar and pestle. There is a full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below.

Where can I buy mild chilli powder?

Mild chilli powder should be easy enough to find in the spice section of the supermarket or with your online shop.

If you have a look on the label, you might notice that mild chilli powder is sometimes blended with other herbs and spices like cumin and oregano giving them a more rounded flavour. This is why I've used mild chilli powder instead of hot, it gives plenty of flavour without overwhelming heat.

How can I tell if garlic has gone off?

Check the garlic feels nice and firm and there aren't any signs of soft or rotten bits. It shouldn't be extremely hard, and discolouration is also a sign garlic has gone off. The cloves should look a pale creamy colour and they turn a darker shade of yellow when going off.

Don't worry if you're garlic has started to sprout green shoots unless they are really long! You can easily remove these if you like as they tend to be quite bitter, cut the clove in half lengthways and the core is usually easy to just pull out.

Garlic should be stored somewhere cool and dark with fairly good airflow to keep it fresh. Try and avoid keeping garlic in the fridge as it's too cold for it in there.

Is garlic chutney suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

Yes! This punchy garlic chutney is suitable for vegetarians and vegans as it contains no meat, poultry or fish products, nor anything that is animal-derived.

It's great to have on hand to pep up some veggies.

Is garlic chutney gluten-free?

As this garlic chutney contains no wheat products, it is naturally gluten-free. You should check the label on everything you use to be certain and be mindful of what you serve your garlic chutney with. Poppadum would be perfect as they are made with gram/chickpea flour, but always check the label just in case.

Is garlic chutney keto-friendly?

Yes, as long as you don't go overboard if you're trying to limit your carbohydrate intake. Each garlic clove contains about 1g of carbohydrate.

Is garlic chutney healthy?

This garlic chutney can be used throughout a balanced and healthy diet with no problem. Garlic does contain some vital vitamins and minerals, though they are in small amounts.

Garlic has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, but no scientific studies have been able to definitively pinpoint any specific health benefits, other than the obvious: it makes food tasty, and tasty, healthy foods help make you feel good.

Is garlic chutney safe to eat while pregnant?

There's nothing in this recipe that would usually pose a risk to pregnant people, as long as the ingredients are in good condition and the chutney is made hygienically.

Spicy foods aren't always ideal if you have heartburn.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. If you have any concerns or questions please speak to a qualified health professional.

What goes well with garlic chutney?

You can use garlic chutney as a condiment - a tiny bit gives a BIG flavour hit.

Some people use it as an alternative to Thai sriracha sauce, which has a similar garlic chilli punch, but with more sweetness than this chutney.

Garlic chutney can be served straight with poppadoms or roti, or as a spicy addition to rice. You can also swirl it into yogurt or thin with water to make a fantastic dip. It can be added to curries to bring extra garlicky flavour and heat, either at the beginning with the onions or later to add an extra kick.

I haven’t got mild chilli powder can I use fresh chillis?

Yes, though I haven't tested this recipe with fresh chillies yet. I like to use mild chilli powder as it brings plenty of flavour without being too hot, whereas using fresh chillies can be much more varied.

Other similar recipes do call for fresh chillis or whole dried chillies, so you can try and use fresh if you like but be careful not to make this unbearably spicy. Start by adding one or two, give your chutney a taste, and add more if you wish.

Can I add extra chilli to this recipe?

With the raw garlic and the chilli powder already in this recipe, it's spicy enough for me. If you like things hotter then you can of course and a little more chilli or use a hot chilli powder instead. Just be careful not to go too hot, adding a teaspoon extra at a time, tasting as you go.

How should I store this garlic chutney?

This garlic chutney contains fresh, raw ingredients so it needs to be kept in the fridge, in a tightly sealed jar. A drizzle of oil on the surface helps to stop it from drying out on top.

How long does this garlic chutney keep?

Enjoy this garlic chutney within a week of making. Even though this is called a chutney, there isn't enough salt, sugar, or acid in this recipe to preserve the fresh ingredients for any longer than this.

Can I leave garlic chutney out on the counter?

No, other than when serving, this garlic chutney needs to be kept in the fridge for food safety reasons.

Can I make garlic chutney ahead?

This recipe is a great one to make ahead if have a spare five minutes. It doesn't take long to whip up and keeps in the fridge for about a week.

Can I freeze garlic chutney?

I haven't tried freezing this chutney as we usually use it up pretty quickly. I'm not sure it will freeze that well as the garlic is still raw so it's probably best to keep it in the fridge and just make a fresh batch when you need more.

If you do try freezing it, let me know how it works out.

Can I make garlic chutney in a different quantity?

Yes! You could make more or less garlic chutney.

On the recipe card below, you'll see the servings are set to make 1 small pot which uses one or two bulbs of garlic depending on their size. To double the amount, just change the servings to 2.

Bear in mind that this isn't the kind of chutney you can make masses of for the store cupboard as it will only keep for about a week in the fridge, but you could make a larger batch and then gift to friends.

To make less, you'll need to calculate this for yourself, but as a rough guide, you'll need five cloves of garlic per one tablespoon of chilli powder and enough lemon juice to make them into a paste.

If you're making a very small amount, you'll probably have to use a pestle and mortar rather than a blender, as there won't be enough to properly reach the blades.

Can I make garlic chutney with a food processor?

As this recipe only makes a small amount a regular size food processor will probably be too big to be effective at blitzing these ingredients. You'll either need to use a small blender or pestle and mortar.

What's the quickest way to peel garlic cloves?

Break the garlic bulb apart so you have the individual cloves in their skins. Count out how many you need and put them into a container with a lid, giving the garlic plenty of room to move around. Put the lid on securely and give the box a really good shake. This should, at minimum, loosen the skins making them easy to peel off, and you should find quite a few of the skins have fallen off completely.

How can I make sure this garlic chutney is perfectly made?

This is a pretty straightforward recipe so you should be able to get it perfect the first time.

Use a blender if you want a smooth paste like mine, or for a more chunky finish use a pestle and mortar. Add a little more oil if your paste is too thick.

Why did my chutney turn out dry and lumpy?

When making this recipe in a pestle and mortar it's harder to get a smooth paste texture like mine, so this may be why your chutney is a bit lumpy. It should still taste great though and some people prefer a chunky finish.

Add more lemon juice or oil if your chutney is too dry, and remember you can stir it into yoghurt to create a dip.

If your mixture won't blend, it's probably because your blender bowl is too large, meaning the ingredients are just thrown to the sides, away from the blades. If that's the case, it's best to switch to a smaller blender or a pestle and mortar.

How can I add/change the flavours in this garlic chutney?

You can play around with the flavours in this chutney by perhaps using roasted garlic or hot chilli powder. Ground cumin is also a great way to add another level of flavour to this chutney.

What is the origin of this garlic chutney?

Also, known as lehsun ki or lahsun chuntey, this is my take on an Indian dip that packs a punch and is a great addition to any curry night.

As you can imagine there are a lot of regional differences and personal preferences when it comes to garlic chutney. In southern India, for example, a base of coconut or tomato is more common, and even adding peanut is popular, whereas this recipe is more like a north Indian style chutney simply using the intensity of fresh garlic and chilli powder.

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