Indian Culture

Chutney

Chutney, chatni in Hindi, is a spicy relish.1,2,3,4 Fresh chutneys are ground from coriander or mint, others are cooked with sugar and vinegar.1,2,3,5,6,7,8

Also known as Chatni

Chutney, chatni in Hindi, is a spicy relish eaten in India with rice, dal or curries.1,2,4,9,10 The word is related to chāṭnā, Hindi for to lick or to taste.9,10,11 Fresh chutneys are ground from herbs and spices such as coriander, mint, ginger and chilli, often with coconut, tamarind or lime.1,2,4,5 Others are cooked from fruit such as mango with sugar, vinegar and spices; this kind became popular in Britain, where chutney is also eaten with cold meat and cheese.2,3,5,6,12 In Schani Coriander Chutney, coriander leaves come first on the pack at 49 percent, in Schani Mint Chutney mint leaves at 64 percent; KRG Tamarind Chutney consists mainly of sugar and tamarind.7,8,13

What's the difference between jam and chutney?

Jam is fruit cooked with sugar and eaten on bread. Chutney is spiced and eaten with savoury food: cooked chutneys add vinegar and spices, fresh Indian chutneys are freshly ground from herbs and spices.1,2,3,5,6,14

Is chutney a British thing?

No, it comes from India: the word is Hindi caṭnī, and English has used it since around 1800. British-made chutneys, cooked from mango or other fruit with onions, raisins, sugar and spices, have stayed popular since the days of the Empire.2,3,4,9,11,12

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Sources

  1. Davidson, A. (2014). chutney. In The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.
  2. Britannica Editors. (1998). chutney. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  3. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). chutney. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  4. Yule, H. (1903). Chutny. In Hobson-Jobson (p. 221). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
  5. Spieler, M. (1985). Chutney and Indian pickles. In Hot and Spicy.
  6. Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). chutney. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  7. Indian Culture: Schani Coriander Chutney: ingredients on the pack.
  8. Indian Culture: Schani Mint Chutney: ingredients on the pack.
  9. Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. (n.d.). caṭnī. In The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary (p. 299, 310). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  10. Platts, J. T. (1884). ćaṭnī. In A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English (p. 426, 416). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
  11. (n.d.). chutney. In Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  12. Oxford University Press. (n.d.). chutney. In Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  13. Indian Culture: KRG Tamarind Chutney (Imli): ingredients on the pack.
  14. Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). jam. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.

Cite this entry

MLA

“Chutney.” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/chutney.

Chicago

Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Chutney,” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/chutney.

APA

Indian Culture. (n.d.). Chutney. In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/chutney