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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Sauces, Chutneys & Dips

    Onion Chutney Recipe

    Jul 19, 2023. by Bhavana Patil. No Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe

    Raw Onion chutney recipe is a very popular South Indian chutney recipe made using red onions and some spices, usually served as a side with idli, dosa, upma, or pongal.

    onion chutney served in a wooden bowl with tempering on the top and whole red onion on the side

    Onion chutney is a great accompaniment to idli, dosa, upma, and even chapati. It is very common in all South Indian homes.

    I learned this recipe from my mom, and I usually make this chutney once a week. I love this chutney, even as a spread for sandwiches. Though I have used red onions, you can also use pearl onions to prepare this chutney. 

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for Onion Chutney Recipe
    • How to Make South Indian Onion Chutney
    • Serving Suggestions for Onion Chutney
    • Storage Suggestions
    • Tips & Variations
    • More Chutney Recipes
    • Onion Chutney

    Ingredients for Onion Chutney Recipe

    You will require very few simple ingredients to make this easy South Indian onion chutney recipe.

    • Onions - I like to use red onions as they are sweeter in taste. You can also use shallots or pearl onions (sambar onions) for this recipe.
    • Garlic - use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
    • Red Chillies - Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri Red Chillies to get a bright red color and heat to the chutney. If you don't have it, use Kashmiri red chili powder instead.
    • Lentils - I used split urad dal and split chana dal. It adds great texture & nutty flavor to the chutney, so don't skip it.
    • Herbs - use fresh herbs like curry leaves to enhance the flavor of the chutney. My mom also adds coriander leaves along with curry leaves to this chutney.
    • Tamarind - Adds tanginess to the onion chutney. You can also use store-bought tamarind paste if that is what you have in hand. You may also substitute it with lemon juice.
    • Tempering - mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, red chili, and oil are used for this tempering.
    onion chutney ingredients

    How to Make South Indian Onion Chutney

    In a pan, add oil. Once it's hot, add split urad dal, split chana dal, and dried red chilies. Saute till the dal turns light golden in color.

    step to saute lentils and dried red chili collage

    Then add onions and garlic cloves and saute for 2-3 minutes until onions turn soft.

    Then add curry leaves, and saute till the onions turn light brown. Turn off the flame and cool the mixture completely.

    step to saute onions and curry leaves collage

    Once cooled, transfer the mixture into the blender. Add tamarind, jaggery, and salt and blend with no or very less water until smooth.

    step to blend the chutney collage

    Heat coconut oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves, and hing, and saute for a few seconds.

    step to prepare the tempering collage

    Add the tempering and pour the tempering over the ground onion chutney. Serve onion chutney with idli or dosa.

    step to pour the tempering over the indian red onion chutney collage

    Serving Suggestions for Onion Chutney

    Serve this South Indian Onion chutney with idli, dosa, paniyaram, uttapam, neer dosa, upma, or paratha.

    You can also serve it with hot steamed rice and dal with some homemade ghee.

    Storage Suggestions

    This onion chutney stays good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. So this is a great make-ahead chutney dish.

    **Tip. While grinding, ensure not to add too much water if you want to store it for more days. More moisture means this chutney will spoil faster.

    Tips & Variations

    1. Type of Onion: Try using red onions or shallots for this recipe to get the best results.
    2. Lentils: You can roast 1 teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal separately and grind along with sautรฉed onion mixture. Lentils like roasted urad dal & chana dal add great texture to the chutney and a nutty aroma.
    3. Dry Red Chilies: Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies to get the perfect bright red color. If you don't have dry red chilies substitute them with red chili powder.
    4. Roasting Onion: Roast the onions on medium-low flame till it caramelizes or turns golden brown. Else chutney will have raw onion taste.
    5. Tanginess: If you don't have tamarind replace it with lemon juice. But traditionally, tamarind is used.
    onion chutney served in a wooden bowl with tempering on the top and whole red onion on the side

    More Chutney Recipes

    • Coconut Chutney
    • Raw Mango Chutney
    • Tomato Chutney
    • Ridge Gourd Chutney
    • Walnut Chutney
    • Mint Peanut Chutney
    • Methi Seeds Chutney
    • Red Bell Pepper Chutney

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    onion chutney served in a wooden bowl with tempering on the top

    Onion Chutney

    Bhavana Patil
    Onion chutney recipe is a very popular South Indian chutney recipe made using onions and some spices usually served as a sideย withย idli,ย dosa,ย upmaย orย pongal.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Calories : 64
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Indian, South Indian
    Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Method: Stovetop
    Prep Time : 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time : 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time : 15 minutes minutes

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 teaspoon split urad dal (split black gram) optional
    • 1 teaspoon split chana dal (split bengal gram) optional
    • 4-5 dried red chilies (Byadgi or Kashmiri Red chilies)
    • 1 large onion (about 1 cup)
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 stalk curry leaves
    • 1 small piece of tamarind
    • ยฝ teaspoon jaggery optional
    • salt to taste
    • 2 tablespoons water or as needed, for blending

    Tempering:

    • 1 teaspoon oil
    • ยฝ teaspoon mustard seeds
    • few curry leaves
    • 1 dried red chili
    • 1 pinch asafetida (hing)

    Instructions
     

    • In a pan, add oil. Once it's hot, add split urad dal, split chana dal, and dried red chilies. Saute till the dal turns light golden in color.
      step to saute lentils and dried red chili collage
    • Then add onions and garlic cloves and saute for 2-3 minutes until onions turn soft.
    • Then add curry leaves, and saute till the onions turn light brown. Turn off the flame and cool the mixture completely.
      step to saute onions and curry leaves collage
    • Once cooled, transfer the mixture into the blender. Add tamarind, jaggery, and salt and blend with no or very less water until smooth.
      step to blend the chutney collage
    • Heat coconut oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves, and hing, and saute for a few seconds.
      step to prepare the tempering collage
    • Add the tempering and pour the tempering over the ground onion chutney.
      step to pour the tempering over the indian red onion chutney collage
    • Serve onion chutney with idli or dosa.
      onion chutney served in a wooden bowl with tempering on the top

    Notes

    Tips & Variations

    1. Type of Onion: Try using red onions or shallots for this recipe to get the best results.
    2. Lentils: You can roast 1 teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal separately and grind along with sautรฉed onion mixture. Lentils like roasted urad dal & chana dal add great texture to the chutney and a nutty aroma.
    3. Dry Red Chilies: Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies to get the perfect bright red color. If you don't have dry red chilies substitute them with red chili powder.
    4. Roasting Onion: Roast the onions on medium-low flame till it caramelizes or turns golden brown. Else chutney will have raw onion taste.
    5. Tanginess: If you don't have tamarind replace it with lemon juice. But traditionally, tamarind is used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 28IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.2mg
    Keyword onion chutney, red onion chutney
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