Three Indian sauces: mint green sauce, sweet tamarind sauce, spicy pickle sauce

Ingredients

• 20 g Fresh mint leaves (Rinsed and drained)
• 40 g Fresh coriander leaves (Rinsed and drained)
• 10 g Fresh ginger (Peeled and coarsely chopped)
• 3 pinches Cumin seeds
• 0.5 teaspoon Curry powder
• ½ lemon Lemon juice (Fresh juice)
• 2 pieces Fresh green chili (Seeds removed, chopped)
• 2 tablespoons Plain yogurt (To aid blending)
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (Added at the end of blending for extra creaminess)
• 35 g Tamarind paste (Concentrated paste)
• 1500 ml Hot water (To rehydrate the tamarind)
• 1 leaf Bay leaf
• 1 stick Cinnamon stick
• 80 g Whole cane sugar
• 20 g Raisins
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground ginger
• 1 pinch Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 150 g Mixed pickles (vegetables and fruits preserved in oil) (Store-bought, drained)

Instructions

1. Rinsing the herbs

   Place the mint and coriander leaves in a large bowl of cold water, give them a gentle swirl, then drain thoroughly. Repeat if necessary to remove impurities.

   Time: PT5M

2. Mixing the green sauce

   In the blender, add the mint, the coriander, the fresh ginger, the pinches of cumin, the curry powder, the lemon juice, the chopped green chili, 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt. Blend until smooth and homogeneous.

   Time: PT5M

3. Finishing the green sauce

   Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or a splash of lemon if needed. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

   Time: PT2M

4. Rehydrating the tamarind

   Place the tamarind paste in a bowl, pour 1.5 L of very hot water, stir and let rest 20 minutes until the pulp separates easily.

   Time: PT20M

5. Filtering the tamarind

   Pass the mixture through a fine sieve or strainer, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the fibrous residues.

   Time: PT5M

6. Cooking the tamarind sauce

   Pour the filtered tamarind juice into a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cane sugar and raisins. Bring to medium heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: moyen

7. Finishing the tamarind sauce

   Remove the pan from heat, add ground ginger and salt. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Let cool to room temperature before transferring to a container.

   Time: PT10M

8. Preparing the spicy pickle sauce

   Open the pickle jar, drain excess oil, then coarsely chop the marinated vegetables and fruits. Transfer to a small bowl.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

120

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Fresh mint leaves: Basil leaves
• Instead of Fresh coriander leaves: Flat parsley
• Instead of Fresh ginger: Ginger paste
• Instead of Cumin seeds: Ground cumin
• Instead of Curry powder: Garam masala
• Instead of Lemon juice: Lemon vinegar
• Instead of Fresh green chili: Red chili
• Instead of Plain yogurt: Coconut milk
• Instead of Greek yogurt: Strained quark
• Instead of Tamarind paste: Tamarind concentrate
• Instead of Bay leaf: Curry leaf
• Instead of Cinnamon stick: Ground cinnamon
• Instead of Whole cane sugar: Brown sugar
• Instead of Raisins: Chopped dried apricots
• Instead of Ground ginger: Fresh grated ginger
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Mixed pickles (vegetables and fruits preserved in oil): Homemade marinated vegetables

Equipment Needed

• Immersion blender or regular blender
• Mixing bowl
• Fine sieve or strainer
• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cup (optional)
• Spatula or tablespoon (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Thorough rinsing of herbs to remove sand and impurities.
• Maximum extraction of tamarind after rehydration.
• Cooking over medium heat uncovered to achieve proper consistency.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very fresh mint and coriander leaves for optimal aroma.
• Lightly crush the raisins in the tamarind sauce to release their sweetness.
• If you don’t have Greek yogurt, use strained quark for the same creaminess.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store each sauce in an airtight container, 3‑4 days.

Freezer: Tamarind sauce freezes well up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator.

Room temperature: Green sauce can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours before refrigeration.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Green sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Tamarind sauce improves after 12 hours in the refrigerator.
• Pickles are ready to use; keep them in their original jar.