No Indian meal is complete without the humble chutney served with papad on the side.

Be it the spicy and tangy tomato one, the aamshotto or sticky mango one or the unusual plastic chaatni made of raw papaya, chutney is the stuff of legends in Bengal and beyond.

Said to have originated from the Sanskrit word, ‘chaatni’ meaning ‘to lick’, this flavour bomb found in various forms is an integral part of India’s culinary treasure.

A culinary element, the humble chutney over the years has taken diverse forms, evolving into umami bombs exploding flavours in every corner of the world.

Take for instance the likok chutney in traditional Naga cuisine that is made from the bitter eggplant.

Or the chamba chukh prepared from hot chillies grown in the Chamba Valley of Himachal Pradesh.

Or Kerala’s eponymous thenga chammanthi that is a powerful blend of coconut, tamarind, ginger, onions and herbs eaten with hot steamed rice.

Soul food is incomplete without a side of chutney. What’s your favourite one?