From How to Cook Indian, by Sanjeev Kapoor (2011). Kharda is the first food I have ever made that was almost too hot for Dan. It was the perfect chutney for our traditional Curry Nite.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
20 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped
(we used 12 serrano chiles)
12 cloves garlic
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon table salt
Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the cumin seeds and when they begin to change color, add the chiles and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the cilantro and stir. Lower the heat to low, add the salt, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Soften the chiles by pressing them with the back of a wooden spoon. Let cool.
Transfer to a food processor and process to a coarse paste. You should be able to see chile pieces. Store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.