Tangy & Spicy South Indian Onion ChutneyVeg
Elevate your South Indian breakfast with this easy, flavorful onion chutney recipe. Ready in under 30 minutes, this tangy and spicy side dish pairs perfectly with hot idlis, dosas, or vada. Made with simple pantry staples like onions, ginger, garlic, tamarind, and a blend of aromatic dals, this recipe delivers a rich, savory taste without any tomatoes. Follow these quick steps for a delicious, restaurant-style chutney that’s sure to become a staple at your table.
Ingredients
For the Chutney Base:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)
1 tbsp Black Gram (Urad Dal)
4 large Onion (roughly chopped)
1 piece Ginger (chopped)
12 cloves Garlic
to taste Red Chilli
A few piece Tamarind
1 tsp Rock Salt
1 tsp Jaggery
as needed Water
For the Tempering:
A little Oil
1 tsp Black Gram (Urad Dal)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
A few Red Chilli
A little bits Asafoetida Powder (Hing)
A few Curry Leaves
Instructions
1
Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add the chana dal and urad dal, sautéing them until they turn a nice golden color.
2
Add the roughly chopped onions to the pan and sauté for a few minutes.
3
Add the ginger and garlic, continuing to cook until the onions are soft and golden. Be careful not to brown the onions too much.
4
Add the red chillies, tamarind pieces, and rock salt. Mix well and cook for a short while longer.
5
Once done, remove the mixture from the heat, transfer to a plate, and let it cool completely.
6
Transfer the cooled mixture to a mixer jar. Add the jaggery.
7
Grind the ingredients first without water to create a coarse mixture, then gradually add a little water at a time until you reach a smooth, fine paste consistency. Check for seasoning.
8
In a separate small tempering pan, heat a little oil.
9
Add the urad dal, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds.
10
Once the mustard seeds begin to splatter, add the red chillies.
11
Turn off the heat and stir in the hing (asafoetida) and fresh curry leaves.
12
Pour the prepared tempering over the onion chutney and mix well. Serve alongside hot idlis or dosas.
