Pesto vs. Chutney:

Pesto is a sauce that originated in the Genoa area of Italy, commonly known as Italian Riviera.  That region is famous for its variety of vegetables.  When we were visiting Genoa our guide had mentioned that the population of Genoa region relies heavily on vegetarian diet.  Columbus was born in Genoa.  My totally unsubstantiated theory is that he was looking for the land of chutney from which Italians derived inspiration for pesto.  Actually to be fair, chili peppers used in chutney were brought to India by Portuguese sailors from Brazil many years after Columbus had discovered the “new world”.

Pesto is made by grinding together basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese.  Traditionally, pesto is made in mortar by grinding with a pestle using circular motion.  Sounds familiar?  It should be to all Indians because that is exactly how chutney is made.  These days pesto is made with many types of ingredients.  The following table illustrates some of the best combination of ingredients for different types of pesto and chutney.

	Basil	Arugula	Spinach	Cilantro	Cilantro	Mint	Tomato
Ingredient	Pesto	Pesto	Pesto	Pesto	Chutney	Chutney	Chutney
Basil	X
Arugula		X
Spinach			X
Cilantro				X	X	X	X
Mint						X
Pine Nuts	X
Walnuts		X	X
Peanuts				X	X	X	X
Olive Oil	X	X	X	X
Parmesan	O	O	O
Garlic	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Chilies					X	X	X
Tomatoes							X
Salt	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Lemon					X	X	X
Ginger					O	O	O

O= optional,  X=required

These days pesto or chutney is easily made by grinding together the ingredients in a food processor or grinder while pouring oil or water until a creamy consistency is obtained.