What to serve with dosa, idli, appam, etc? Chutneys you guys! 😍If you don't know already, a South Indian breakfast is incomplete without at least two kinds of coconut chutney which is served with all kinds of South Indian breakfast items like dosas, idlis, appams, Pongal, upma, etc.
People address them commonly as White (basic coconut chutney), Red (tomato chutney or dried red chilli chutney) and Green (coriander and/or curry leaves chutney) because the ingredients are not always the same.
In this post, I will be sharing the two kinds of chutney the way my family makes to serve with dosa.
I know from eating experience that the taste and method of making coconut chutney differ between the Southern states. My version is a Tamil style as that is what my mom learnt to make when she came to Tamil Nadu newly married and that is what we grew up loving too. But it wasn't until after I got married that I learnt that chutneys are made differently in Kerala which I actually don't prefer.
I learnt to make a good bowl of chutney through multiple attempts during my single days in Bangalore. Occasionally I buy a pack of ID idli batter, make sambar, potato masala and chutney - weekend breakfast sorted.🤩This was, in fact, the first meal I had served F when he came for a short holiday to stay with me in Bangalore. I underestimated feeding a man😬! Had to make do with the previous night's leftovers. 🤣
I never used to measure while making chutney and so couldn't share the recipe even though this was the most requested recipe on Instagram. So this year, tried to measure and make a few times and shared on Stories. Received so many DMs that said, "finally!" 😁 Yes, I know, better late than never right?
Now to the most asked questions.
What is Pottukadalai?
Pottukadalai is a Tamil word for Roasted Split Bengal Gram. It is not the channa dal or toor dal like most of you doubt. This can be eaten as is without the need to cook. We add this to chutney to give it a creamy texture. These are easily available in supermarkets but you may replace them with peanuts or cashews but the taste will differ.
Ingredients
How do you store coconut chutney?
Coconut-based chutney preparation needs to be hands-free to last longer. Like while grinding the chutney, don't use your fingers to scrape the sides or transfer the content if you intend to make a large batch ahead of time. Use a spoon or spatula to do all the actions. The chutney can stay on the counter for a couple of hours during winter. During humid or summer, it is better to consume sooner or refrigerate the leftovers. Always refrigerate the leftover chutneys covered. Do not reheat the refrigerated chutney, instead, just bring it to room temperature slightly and have it. Cold chutney makes a great sandwich spread!
The two types of south Indian coconut chutney recipe that I always make on the dosa/Idli days are:
- Coconut Chutney with Curry leaves and Coriander leaves (green chutney)
- Coconut Chutney with Tomato and onion (red chutney)
📖 Recipe
Coconut Chutney with Curry leaves and Coriander leaves
Ingredients
Grind to paste
- 2 tablespoons Pottukadalai roasted gram
- 2 green chillies
- 6 to 8 curry leaves
- Fresh coriander leaves
- 2 mini shallots
- 1 garlic clove
- ginger a small piece
- tamarind pulp a tiny piece
- ½ cup grated coconut
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup water
For Tadka
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon urad dal
- curry leaves
- 1 dried red chillies
- a pinch of hing optional
Instructions
- First, grind dry items so I add all the ingredients except water into the mini mixie jar and process it for 30 seconds or until the mixture sticks to the sides.
- Next, I scrape down the sides and add 2 tablespoons of water. I process this stopping every 30 seconds to scrape the sides and add more water little by little until everything comes together as a thick creamy chutney. If you add a lot of water at the beginning itself, then it will take forever and may not grind the coconut to the desired consistency. Don't give up until the coconut breaks down making the chutney light in colour and texture.
- Transfer to the serving bowl, pour little water to wipe clean the jar and mix it to the serving bowl.
- Taste and adjust the salt and tamarind.
- Make tadka with coconut oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and dried red chilli.
- Pour the hot tadka over the chutney, mix and serve immediately.
📖 Recipe
Coconut Chutney with Tomato and Onion
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil
- small red onion
- 2 to 3 dried red chillies
- 1 teaspoon ginger thumb tip size
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes
- ½ cup grated coconut
- Salt to taste
For Tadka
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon urad dal
- curry leaves
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a shallow pan.
- Add the onion, red chillies, ginger and tomatoes.
- Cook with a dash of salt until everything wilts and tomato breaks down to mushy.
- Add the grated coconut and give a good mix. Switch off and let it cool completely before you can process it to a paste.
- Take care to grind the mixture until the colour develops.
- Make tadka with coconut oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and dried red chilli.
- Pour the hot tadka over the chutney, mix and serve immediately.
Wondering what is in the third bowl? Potato Masala for Masala Dosai. 🙂 InshaAllah will share the recipe soon.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!