Indian Food Condiments: Sauce and Chutney Recipes (2024)

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Indian food, as a general category, is incredibly diverse (it’s a big country, after all), but always flavorful. And Indian meals often include a wealth of condiments, sauces, pickles, and dips. Consider this a primer on some of the best Indian sauce, chutney, dip, and condiment recipes.

Growing up, I watched my Indian grandmother eat from a large, stainless-steel plate called a thali, filled with many tiny bowls of condiments.

As I got older I had questions, mainly: Are multiple dips and sauces really necessary at every meal?

Eventually I realized that they are, at least in Indian cuisine, where condiments are the ultimate customization tool: With every bite, you can invite more sweetness, more heat, or more sour to the party, making every bite of that lamb stew in front of you into a completely different experience.

The three main condiment types in the Indian repertoire are chutneys, raitas, and achaar, or pickles.

Chutneys are relishes of fruits or vegetables that can be either sweet and sour, spicy and sour, or both, usually preserved with an acid (citrus juices or vinegars).

Mango Chutney

Mango chutney is probably the best-known chutney. In addition to using it to accompany Indian dishes, try it with simple roasted meat like pork tenderloin or chicken, or spread some on a curried tuna sandwich. (Major Grey’s chutney is a specific style of mango chutney that usually includes raisins.) This Mango Chutney recipe includes nigella seeds for extra flavor and texture.

Green Chutney

India’s most ubiquitous spicy chutney is a fresh, pesto-like blend of cilantro (occasionally combined with mint), lime juice, and green chiles. Try this Green Chutney recipe and use it on wraps, sandwiches, and anywhere you might use Peruvian aji verde or Argentinian chimichurri.

Tamarind Chutney

Tamarind chutney (above) is the most popular sweet-and-sour chutney, often eaten with chaat (i.e., Indian snacks) and samosas. Try this Date-Tamarind Chutney recipe.

Tamicon Tamarind Concentrate, from Amazon. Try this sweet and sour tamarind paste as the basis for your chutney. Buy Now

Raitas are yogurt-based dipping sauces that contain vegetables or fruits and spices. They’re used to chill out blisteringly hot dishes and highlight flavors, particularly in the South Indian rice dishes pulao and biryani. Cucumber and mint with cumin is the most common raita (try our Cucumber Yogurt Sauce recipe for a similar flavor), but onion, apple, and carrot are also frequent stars.

Achaar, or pickles, are fruits or vegetables preserved by simmering them in oil, though sometimes with vinegar or citrus juice instead.

When it comes to Indian pickles, piquancy ranges from mild to hot, with the odd sweet or sour standout; turmeric, fenugreek, and asafetida are common spices.

A major pickle differentiator is the type of oil used, which is usually a clue to the pickle’s origin: mustard oil in Northern India, sesame oil in the south.

Green mango (aam ka achaar) and lime (nimbu ka achaar) are the two most common Indian pickles. My personal favorite: a sweet, spicy sun-dried mango pickle from the western state of Gujarat called chundo (above), eaten with flatbread and yogurt.

With these hot, vivid, sour, and/or cooling options in front of you, you’re ready to set out on your own, highly personal food adventure. Thali optional.

Indian Food Condiments: Sauce and Chutney Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the 3 sauces at Indian restaurants? ›

The three sauces at Indian restaurants most commonly served are a green sauce, brown sauce and a red sauce. In order these are, mint cilantro chutney, tamarind chutney and garlic chutney.

What condiments go with Indian food? ›

The three main condiment types in the Indian repertoire are chutneys, raitas, and achaar, or pickles.

What do Indians eat chutney with? ›

Hari (Green) Chutney: A slightly grainy, spicy, Oscar-the-Grouch-green concoction typically flavored with cilantro and mint—usually eaten with chaat (Indian snacks) and other deep-fried snacks, like samosas, to add heat and freshness.

What are the 5 classic basic sauces? ›

The five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Developed in the 19th century by French chef Auguste Escoffier, mother sauces serve as a starting point for a variety of delicious sauces used to complement countless dishes, including veggies, fish, meat, casseroles, and pastas.

What are 5 condiments? ›

Here are five of the most popular condiments and the lowdown on their nutrition content.
  • Condiment #1: Ketchup. It seems like no restaurant table is complete without the signature red bottle of Heinz ketchup. ...
  • Condiment #2: Mustard. ...
  • Condiment #3: Hot Sauce. ...
  • Condiment #4: Mayonnaise. ...
  • Condiment #5: Salsa.
18 Sept 2014

What are the top 3 condiments? ›

The top 10 most popular condiments have something in common - they can change an average meal into a great one.
  • Vinegar.
  • Wasabi.
  • Hot sauce.
  • Dijon mustard.
  • Mayonnaise.
  • Ketchup.
  • Barbecue sauce.
  • Soy sauce.
26 Jun 2022

What are the 7 main Indian spices? ›

7 Essential Spices for Indian Cooking
  • Saffron. As Indian cooking spices go, saffron is one that isn't quite common, but is certainly a necessity for certain dishes. ...
  • Turmeric. ...
  • Cumin. ...
  • Nutmeg. ...
  • Red Chili Powder. ...
  • Coriander. ...
  • Cardamom.
25 Jul 2017

What is the most popular sauce in India? ›

Chutney. Chutney is probably the most popular of the Indian sauces. There are many combinations of the spicy or sweet condiment. You can prepare it as smooth and creamy or thick and chunky.

What are the 5 modern sauces? ›

Five basic types of sauces appear over and over again on menus and in cookbooks that feature the kind of vegetable-heavy, flavor-dense food that cooks and eaters favor today: yogurt sauce, pepper sauce, herb sauce, tahini sauce and pesto.

What is chutney called in India? ›

In Andhra Pradesh it is also called pacchadi. In Kerala it is also called chammanthi and in Telangana it is called tokku or also pacchadi.

How many types of chutneys are there in India? ›

Chutney Recipes | 42 Chutney Varieties.

What is Indian chutney made of? ›

Chutney is made from fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs with vinegar, sugar, and spices. It's used to provide balance to an array of dishes, or highlight a specific flavor profile. Broadly, the word chutney is now applied to anything preserved in sugar and vinegar, regardless of its texture, ingredients, or consistency.

What is the most famous condiment? ›

Most Popular Condiments
  • Aioli.
  • Ketchup.
  • Mayo.
  • Mustard.
  • Ranch.
  • Wasabi.
  • Fish Sauce.
  • Honey Mustard.
20 May 2022

What is a sister sauce? ›

A sauce made by adding flavoring to a basic mother sauce is a “sister” sauce.

What are the 5 daughter sauces? ›

Daughter sauces
  • Béchamel sauce.
  • Espagnole sauce.
  • Velouté sauce.
  • Tomato sauce.
  • Hollandaise sauce.
  • Mayonnaise.

What is the mother of all sauces? ›

1. Béchamel. You may know béchamel sauce as the white sauce that gives chicken pot pie its creamy texture, or as the binder for all that cheese in macaroni and cheese.

What is the king of sauces? ›

Béchamel, the classic white sauce, was named after its inventor, Louis XIV's steward Louis de Béchamel. The king of all sauces, it is often referred to as a cream sauce because of its appearance and is probably used most frequently in all types of dishes.

What are the 3 types of sauces? ›

And once you've made them a few times, you won't even need a recipe!
  • 1 - Béchamel or Basic White Sauce. A white sauce is made by adding milk, salt, and pepper to a roux. ...
  • 2 - Mornay or Cheese Sauce. Building off a white sauce is a Mornay or cheese sauce. ...
  • 3 - Gravy.
13 Nov 2017

Which sauce is best in India? ›

Here is the list of top 10 best tomato sauce brands available in India.
  • Maggi Tomato Sauce. ...
  • Kissan Tomato Ketchup. ...
  • Heinz Tomato Ketchup. ...
  • Everest Tomato Ketchup. ...
  • Cremica Ketchup. ...
  • Tops Ketchup. ...
  • Del Monte Ketchup. ...
  • Orchard Lane Tomato Ketchup.

What is the tastiest sauce? ›

10 Best Rated Sauces in the World
  • Sauce. Nam phrik. THAILAND. shutterstock. ...
  • Sauce. Tkemali. GEORGIA. shutterstock. ...
  • Sauce. Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nước chấm) VIETNAM. shutterstock. ...
  • Dip. Muhammara. Aleppo. Syria. ...
  • Sauce. Hoisin Sauce. CHINA. shutterstock. ...
  • Meat-based Sauce. Ragù alla Bolognese. Bologna. Italy. ...
  • Dip. Tzatziki. GREECE. ...
  • Sauce. Mole. MEXICO.
3 Dec 2022

Are there 5 or 7 mother sauces? ›

The five French mother sauces are: Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomato. Read on to learn how to make each one.

What are the traditional condiments? ›

Gallery
  • Dijon mustard.
  • Chrain (horseradish sauce)
  • Mayonnaise.
  • Tomato (ketchup)
  • Pesto genovese.
  • Chutneys.
  • Curry powder or paste.
  • Ajika, spicy sauce in Caucasian cuisine.

What is the number 1 condiment? ›

Sales of condiment and dressing categories in the U.S. from 2019-2021. In 2021, mayonnaise was the top condiment in the United States, with sales of approximately 164 million U.S. dollars.

What is the oldest condiment? ›

The first condiment was salt. Salt has always been used both as a preservative and to enhance the flavor of food. Vinegar has also been used since ancient times. Its name is probably derived from the French words vin aiger meaning sour wine.

What is India's most famous seasoning? ›

The most popular spice is garam masala, which is actually a spice blend. The actual recipe will vary by region and household, but it includes coriander, cumin, green cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seeds and black cardamom.

What is the mother of all spices? ›

10. Cinnamon. Cinnamon is the mother of all spices and is even ranked as a favourite of people. It comes in both powdered and stick form.

What are the mother sauces in India? ›

Mother Sauces That Can Lift Any Dish
  • Onion-tomato Masala. One of the most popular curry bases for North and South Indian cuisines, this onion-tomato paste, also known as bhuna masala, has a wonderfully complex flavour. ...
  • Brown Onion Paste. ...
  • Mustard Curry Paste. ...
  • Coconut Curry Paste.
27 Apr 2020

What is Bollywood sauce? ›

Inspired from the subcontinent, this sauce has a rich, powerful taste softened by a hint of maple syrup. Delicious with Asian dishes, soups, grilled chicken, stir-fries and rice or even just to spice up a little mayo or sauce. As intense as a journey through India!

What is the white sauce that comes with Indian food? ›

Raita is a basic Indian yogurt-based condiment that's served as a palate-cleanser with spicy or heavy foods. It's super simple to make and has so many uses!

What sauces are trending? ›

Spring Flavor Trends for 2022

Today, more U.S. consumers are demanding spices, like jalapeño and chipotle (smoked jalapeño), tajin, hot mustard, smoked paprika, gochujang, harissa, schug, and sambal, as well as chili crisp-oil (infused with crunchy pieces of peppers, scallions, garlic, and so on).

What are the daughter sauces? ›

A sauce made by adding flavoring to a basic mother sauce.

How do Indian restaurants eat chutney? ›

How is Chutney Served?
  1. As a dipping sauce for appetizers. eg, cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney served with samosa, kebab.
  2. As a sauce to top on chaat dishes. eg. ...
  3. As a side with regular meals such as lentils, curries, rice and breads. ...
  4. As a side for South Indian dishes. ...
  5. To slather on sandwiches.
9 Dec 2021

What is the green sauce in Indian food? ›

Green Chutney is the indian green sauce made with the star ingredients cilantro and mint, and spiced with green chili, ginger, garlic and spices. This green chutney is cool, spicy and tangy at the same time....so FLAVORFUL! In hindi, we call this Hari Chutney, where Hari means green. It is Dhaniya Pudhina Chutney.

What is chutney called in English? ›

or chut·nee

a sauce or relish of East Indian origin, often compounded of both sweet and sour ingredients, as fruits and herbs, with spices and other seasoning.

What is chutney famous? ›

Coriander chutney—common in Indian cuisine. Dahi chutney—strained yogurt mixed into a chutney of mint and onions, popular in South India. Eromba—common in Manipuri cuisine. Garlic chutney—prepared using fresh garlic, dry or fresh coconut, groundnuts and green or red chili peppers, prepared in both wet and dried forms.

What is the difference between chutney and sauce? ›

Sauces are also prepared from more or less similar ingredients and in same manner as chutney. Except the fruit pulp is sieved after cooking to remove the skin, seeds and stalks of vegetables; to give a smooth consistency to the final product. The consistency of sauce is comparatively thin than of fruit chutney.

What is traditional chutney made from? ›

chutney, relish that accompanies an Indian meal. Chutneys may be highly spiced or bland and may be prepared from fruits, vegetables, yogurt, peanuts, or herbs. Popular fruit-based chutneys include those made with coconut or mango, while cucumbers and tomatoes are popular in vegetable-based chutneys.

What is the difference between a chutney and a relish? ›

Chutney vs Relish

Both condiments are made with chopped vegetables, vinegar, and added spices. Typically, chutney has a softer consistency and contains a variety of fruit pieces. Relish usually contains one type of vegetable and no fruit.

Is chutney and achar the same? ›

Chutney or achar is an all-time favourite accompaniment in every Indian regional cuisine. It is present in almost every Indian meal and adds its own refreshing flavour to any food that it is paired with.

Is chutney a condiment? ›

Chutney is a condiment (Also referred to as a sauce, which is handmade and crafted with various ingredients) used to add flavour to food. Unlike your traditional sauces, chutney is made of chopped fruits, vinegar and spices that are cooked into a chutney spread.

What are the green and red sauces at Indian restaurants? ›

I know it can be overwhelming when you did not grow up eating chutneys. Many times you don't even know what is in the chutney. All you identify with is the color of it - green, brown and red chutney. They have become the second name of these sauces!

What are the 4 main sauces? ›

In the 19th century, Marie-Antoine Carême anointed Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, and tomato sauce as the building blocks for all other sauces in his work L'Art de la Cuisine Française au Dix-Neuvième Siecle. Later on, Hollandaise got added to the family.

What are the five grand sauces? ›

The 5 Grand Sauces Every Cook Should Know
  • Béchamel: Roux + dairy.
  • Velouté: Roux + white stock.
  • Espagnole: Roux + brown stock.
  • Hollandaise: Egg yolks + clarified butter + acid (like lemon juice or white wine)
  • Tomato: Roux + tomatoes.

What is the most popular condiment in India? ›

Chutney. Chutney is probably the most popular of the Indian sauces. There are many combinations of the spicy or sweet condiment. You can prepare it as smooth and creamy or thick and chunky.

What is the king of all sauces? ›

Béchamel, the classic white sauce, was named after its inventor, Louis XIV's steward Louis de Béchamel. The king of all sauces, it is often referred to as a cream sauce because of its appearance and is probably used most frequently in all types of dishes.

What is Indian relish called? ›

Piccalilli is a form of Indian relish popular in England.

What are condiments name any 4 condiments? ›

Condiments are sometimes added prior to serving, for example, in a sandwich made with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise. Some condiments are used during cooking to add flavor or texture: barbecue sauce, compound butter, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, Marmite and sour cream are examples.

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