Onion Coconut Chutney
For a chutney with more depth and flavor, try this Onion Coconut Chutney. The sweet coconut paired with sharp onions creates a delicious balance, making it the perfect side for dosa, idli, and rice dishes. It's also a great dip for flatbreads, a sandwich spread, or a topping for grilled vegetables, offering a fusion of flavors that work across Indian and Western cuisines alike.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 People
Calories 50 kcal
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon urad dal split black gram
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika a
- A pinch of asafoetida hing
- 1 cup grated coconut fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup diced onion yellow or white, not red
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
- Salt to taste
Optional Tempering
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 2 whole red chilies
In a small pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the urad dal, and a pinch of asafoetida. Fry until the urad dal turns a light golden color, being careful not to burn it. Once done, set it aside.
In a bowl, combine the grated coconut, diced onion, tamarind paste, and salt. Then, add the fried mixture to this bowl. Add 1/4 cup water or more if needed to make a paste
Grind the chutney: Using a blender, blend the mixture into a smooth paste. Add as little water as possible while blending to maintain a thick consistency.
If using paprika instead of whole Kashmiri chilies, add it to this mixture.
Optional tempering: For extra flavor, you can temper the chutney. Heat a small pan with oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.
Adjust the raw onion flavor: If the raw onion smell is too strong, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan and fry the chutney for about 10 minutes. This helps to mellow the raw onion flavor.