Do You Know Your Chutneys?

You’re sitting at that new Indian restaurant, and suddenly it’s not just the dish you ordered that arrives at the table, but also a whole series of little bowls filled with sauces, vegetable mixtures and more. Did you order all that? And what is it?

You can just about recognize raita; the yogurt-based palate cooler served with those sometimes extremely spicy dishes. Chutney, probably too. But who knew there were chutney, chutney and chutney? And what, actually, is that incredibly fragrant other stuff?

Confusion

If you ask the staff, the explanation comes so quickly that it doesn’t get you much further. You nod politely, but are left confused.

Make the most of this overview of Indian side dishes.

Online magazine Bon Appétit provides a handy overview of what’s what among Indian side dishes. For example, what the difference is between achaar (pickled vegetables) and kachumber (a julienned salad of carrot, onion, coriander and, for example, tomatoes, with lots of lime juice). That imli chutney is made with tamarind, timater with tomato and gole ki with cucumber. And that each one goes with a specific dish.

Raita

And that raita, which you proudly thought you recognized like a true cosmopolitan? Is it kheera (cucumber), boondi (chewy chickpea-flour balls), aloo ka (potato) or palak (spinach)?

Stop denying it. And check out that overview.