During this week of WWOOFing, I have spent a lot of time outside digging holes, carrying stones and breaking rocks. But a nearly autonomous farm does not only run on muscle power. This beautiful ecosystem would not survive even a single week without the delicious and delicate cuisine of Brij Bala…

And here is a small excerpt, one of her specialties, passed from generation to the next: Brij Bala’s Chutney!

The presentation is rough but do not trust the appearances…

Ingredients:

– 2 tomatoes
– 4 onions
– 1 garlic clove
– 3 fresh spinach leaves
– 2 handfuls of mint
– 3 black chilis (or green, it also works!)
– Green lemon juice (2 lemons)
– Rosemary (very little)
– Cumin previously toasted in a pan
-Sugar and salt

+ Optional : if you’re lucky enough to find it, a spoonful of Himalayan pepper.

This says it all! The preparation could not be more simple then: after having coarsely cut the tomatoes and onions, mix all ingredients without even worrying about the order. Your chutney is ready!

Here in India, chutney is served with rice or with chapatis (Indian bread, looking like a crepe). Chapatis might not been very common where you live, but bread would certainly be a good alternative 😉

~ The following photos do not reflect proportions ~

Onions, tomatoes and garlic

In a clockwise direction: spinach, cumin, Himalayan pepper, mint, lemon, rosemary

Black chili… small but lethal!

And this is what Himalayan pepper looks like 

While Brij Bala makes me taste the result, she tells me her secret ingredient in confidence: “pyar”… Love. Give love! “Pyar dena”!

Thanks Brij Bala!

Your turn to taste!