Onion chutney

For me, chutney was always synonym with coconut chutney. I started eating different types of chutneys after going to Bangalore. I liked to eat these chutneys with dosas or idlis. So I keep searching for these tasty chutney recipes.

This recipe is from a TV show. I am not a big fan of raw onion because of its smell. So when I saw this recipe for the first time, I thought it might smell of onions even though this chutney is fried after grinding. Thats the reason I didn’t make it for a very long time. But few weeks back, while going through my diary I found this recipe. I tried it and it was fantastic.

Ingredients:
2 cups onion pieces
5-6 red chilies
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract (thick extract of 2-3 pieces of tamarind)
1 tea spn jaggery
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Method:
Heat oil, add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves and fry for sometime.
Grind the seasoning and all other ingredients to a paste without adding too much water.
Heat a little oil and fry the chutney till the water is evaporated and the chutney is well cooked.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 15mins

PS: I ground it to a coarse paste. But I feel it will taste better if you can grind it to smooth paste.

28 thoughts on “Onion chutney”

  1. looks really good Shilpa- I’ve had a chutney/chatni similar to this, but never saw the onions made to a paste and fried before…this must be on the sweetish side because of the jaggery and onions. this would be good with samosas too i bet! 🙂 i love fried onions so i will definitely try this!

  2. Thanks for this easy recipe…I am always looking for something different all the time to go with Idlis or Dosas….

    Take care, hope you are well Shilpa.

  3. I was going to say I saw similar chutney at Spice lover!:)) But this different,fried onion chutney.Thank god for frying!:))
    Looks great. Happy Republic day Shilpa!

  4. different shilpa…. i was looking for an orangish chutney which is served with idli/dosa in restaurants. I googled for it but never got the right one. Donno whether it is onion and tomato or the one which you have mentioned. Let me try this tommorrow. Thanks

  5. I tried a similar chutney but without seasoning and jaggery, it was quite good but lacked something. Now I know what it missed. Does this chutney stay fresh for few days in the fridge?

  6. Aruna, the following is the recipe for orangish chutney served with idlis and dosas.

    Onion – Tomato Chutney

    Onions – 2
    Tomatoes – 2
    Red chillies – 3 -4 (adjust to suit your family’s taste buds)
    Urad dal – 2-3 teaspoons
    Curry leaves
    Tamarind – small piece(soak in hot water for a few minutes)
    Jaggery – small piece

    Take one or two teaspoons of oil and fry the urad dal(needs to turn brown) and redchillies. Take it out and add more oil if necessary and fry the onions, curry leaves, tomatoes for a couple of minutes. Do not fry till it turns brown but till the raw smell of the onion is gone. Allow it to cool and grind the above ingredients with tamarind and jaggery. While grinding do not add water.

    Shobitha

  7. Hi,I need your help on this one.I fried this chutney for abt 15-20 mins but the raw smell just wouldnt go 🙁 We were getting late for breakfast so couldnt fry more… Any tips?Should I fry onions before grinding?I had the same problem when I tried north indian dish.Do let me know how long i should fry the onion paste to remove the raw smell.Thanks!!

  8. Swarna, this chutney does have a tinge of onion even though you fry it. But it is very very mild. You have to fry it till it becomes very dry. The recipe does not call for frying or cooking onion before grinding. This chutney is supposed to be like this. I am not sure which North Indian dish are you talking about. So I don’t think I can help on that. I am sorry.

  9. Thanks for replying Shilpa.No,the north indian dish wasnt from your blog.I was just asking how to get rid of the raw smell because many dishes are also prepared this way by grinding and then frying onion(masala).I just dont seem to be doing it right.Anyway thanx will try again.

  10. slice the onions .fry the urad dal & red chillies & can add sauted tomato & grind together.the raw smell of onion wont be there . do not fry the onion too much

  11. hi
    it is very helpfull for me and i am going to try onion chutney and kancheepuram idly today so many thanks for this website

  12. Dear shilpa try this ,u will like it.actually its famously known as khara chutney usally eaten with akki rotti.I learnt it frm my freind who is frm sakkleshpur.little variation–fry 3-4 onions,then take it out fry 1 tsp coriander seeds,1/2tsp jeera,4-5 bhedgi menasinakayi.grind all ingrds it with tamarind.at last heat butter 1-2tsp ,and then add this paste into it heat for 1 min.
    tastes yummy try it out

  13. Hi Shilpa,
    Thsi is an amazing chutney! My family loved it when I served it with Rawa idlis. The problem is they demand it as an accompaniment to all other dishes as well!!
    I used to make a variation of this by using tomato instaed of tamarind, try it, tastes almost as good.

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  15. hi shilpa..
    i wil do lik this way say this wil be gud or not, i will cut d onions and fry lightly in oil wit red chilly , then in mixie i use to grind onions,r.chilly,little tamarind wit salt after tat for seasoning i ll put moong dal and little asaefoetida powder and mix this onion chutney, it ll be hot and good how about this

  16. hi shilpa,i’m from honavar. today i prepared your coorgi style chicken. it tasted really good. can you post recipes of hara chicken masala?

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