Asparagus with bhangjeera (hempseed) chutney
- Side
- 2
- 20 minutes
Looking for a new way to serve asparagus? This super speedy and simple dish from Avinash Shashidhara gives the griddled spears new life thanks to a fresh herb and nutty hempseed chutney. A brilliant Himalayan-inspired take on one of Britain’s most celebrated veg.
Avi says: ‘Hemp seeds or bhangjeera are a common ingredient used in the Himalayan regions of India where they grow in the wild. They are considered a superfood and usually used to make chutney, to be eaten with breads or other vegetables. It’s like an Indian version of a pesto – creamy, nutty and fresh. Perfect for spring!’
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 200g of hulled hemp seeds
- 20g of cumin seeds
- 3 green chillies
- 20g of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 20g of fresh mint, roughly chopped, plus a few sliced leaves to garnish
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 dash of rapeseed oil
- salt
Equipment
- Barbecue or chargrill pan
- Blender
Method
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Prep the asparagus, removing any particularly woody ends, then blanch the spears in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and plunge into iced water to halt the cooking process
- 1 bunch of asparagus
To make the chutney, lightly toast the hemp seeds in a dry frying pan until toasty and golden (make sure they don’t burn). Set them aside, then lightly toast the cumin seeds in the same pan
- 200g of hulled hemp seeds
- 20g of cumin seeds
Place the hemp seeds in a blender with the toasted cumin seeds, chillies, herbs and lemon juice. Blitz, adding a splash of water as needed, until you have a pesto-like consistency. Season to taste with salt then transfer to an airtight container. The chutney will keep in the fridge for up to a week
- 3 green chillies
- 20g of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 20g of fresh mint, roughly chopped, plus a few sliced leaves to garnish
- 1 lemon, juiced
- salt
When ready to serve, light a barbecue or heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Brush the blanched asparagus with a little oil and salt, then grill or griddle until nicely charred all over
- 1 dash of rapeseed oil
- salt
To serve, spread a bed of chutney on the base of a plate. Put the asparagus on top, drizzle over a little more chutney and sprinkle over a few sliced mint leaves
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