Yoghurt Buttermilk Sauce with Mint Coriander and Cumin

Introduction

Toasted cumin, fresh mint, coriander, ginger, and green chile peppers turn plain yoghurt and cultured buttermilk into a cold sauce with a loose, spoonable texture and a sharp bite from chopped onion. It takes about 15 minutes and fits next to grilled meat, rice, fritters, or any dish that needs a cooling sauce with fresh herbs.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 12 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 10 grams fresh mint, chopped
• 15 grams fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 cm fresh ginger root, chopped
• 2 fresh green chile peppers, chopped
• 3 deciliters natural (plain) yoghurt
• 3 deciliters cultured buttermilk
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 onion, chopped

Instructions

1. Add cumin seed to a skillet over medium heat, and toast until fragrant. Don’t let burn.
2. Grind the toasted cumin seeds with a mortar.
3. Grind the mint, coriander leaves, ginger, and chili peppers into a paste.
4. Add the yoghurt, buttermilk and salt and make sure everything gets mixed up well.
5. Add the onion and the ground cumin.

Variations

• Replace the 2 fresh green chile peppers with 1 chile pepper if you want a milder sauce. You keep the fresh heat, but the sauce stays more cooling than spicy.
• Swap the fresh coriander leaves for flat-leaf parsley if you want a less citrusy, less assertive herb flavor. The sauce will taste cleaner and slightly less sharp.
• Use all yoghurt in place of the cultured buttermilk if you want a thicker dip instead of a pourable sauce. The result is richer and better for serving with kebabs or fritters.
• Grate the onion instead of chopping it if you want a smoother texture and less distinct onion crunch. That also helps the onion flavor spread more evenly through the sauce.

Tips for Success

• Toast the cumin seed only until fragrant; if it darkens too much, the sauce will taste bitter.
• Grind the mint, coriander leaves, ginger, and chile peppers into a fine paste so the herbs distribute evenly instead of sitting in clumps.
• Use cold yoghurt and cultured buttermilk if you want the sauce ready to serve immediately.
• Add the chopped onion last, as written, to keep some texture and bite in the finished sauce.
• Stir the sauce well before serving because the buttermilk can loosen the mixture as it sits.

Storage and Reheating

Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Stir before serving, since the yoghurt and buttermilk can separate slightly.

Freezing is not recommended. The dairy base splits and the fresh herbs lose their texture.

FAQ

Can you make this sauce ahead of time?

Yes. Make it up to 1 day ahead, then stir it well before serving because the mixture loosens as it rests.

Can you use a blender instead of a mortar?

Yes. Pulse the cumin separately, then blend the mint, coriander leaves, ginger, and chile peppers just until a paste forms.

How spicy is it with 2 fresh green chile peppers?

It lands in the medium range, but the yoghurt and buttermilk soften the heat. If your chiles are hot, start with 1.

Can you make it thicker?

Yes. Reduce the cultured buttermilk or replace it with more yoghurt. The sauce will shift from pourable to more of a dip.