Green Chile and Coconut Chutney

As I've said before, I grew up eating spicy foods. And although I like the super-hot, I'm also a fan of the not-just-burn-your-face-off sauces that have good flavor to them.

This chutney fits the bill perfectly. I saw this recipe on www.chow.com and this is my variation of it. The coconut and lime juice are perfect for the serrano chiles, and it's got a great spiciness to it. On the 28 Cooks hot-o-meter, it probably ranks a 4 out of 5 peppers. If you're heat sensitive, I'd recommend cutting the number of serrano peppers down to about 1 or 2.

I love the ideas they suggest for using it. They recommend stuffing a whole fish with it and roasting it, althouth I'm sure you could take a nice meaty piece of fish and stuff it with a healthy portion. But to be honest, it's quite fantastic on tortilla chips.



Green Chile and Coconut Chutney
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
4 green serrano peppers, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp minced ginger
1 c sweetened flake coconut
1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
3 tbsp fresh lime juice

In a food processor, process cilantro, peppers, garlic, and ginger until finely chopped. Add coconut, crushed toasted cumin seeds, and lime juice, and pulse until well combined. Do not overprocess. Serve right away, or allow flavors to make friends in the refrigerator for a few hours.