Learn how to make Hotel Style Onion Tomato Chutney recipe with step by step pictures. This simple condiment is easy to make in 15 minutes and pairs well with South Indian breakfast dishes idli, dosa, uttapam, paniyaram, etc.
Today, I am sharing an easy, and one of my favorite chutney recipes after coconut chutney, and onion chutney. It is called Tomato Onion Chutney. This chutney is a popular recipe from South Indian states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. Each household has its own unique version, and it can be prepared in various ways.
It can be served with idli, dosa, uttapam, or any other South Indian breakfast. Don't forget to check out my green tomato chutney for another delicious option!
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out more delicious Tomato recipes.
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What is Onion Tomato Chutney?
It is a popular South Indian condiment prepared using onion, tomatoes, and spices as the main ingredients. It is tangy, medium spicy, and has a nutty aroma. This tomato chutney is also known as Thakkali chutney in Tamil Nadu.
Ingredients
- 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.
- Tomatoes - Use fresh, ripened, and juicy tomatoes for the best taste, flavor, and color. Roma tomatoes or Red Vine Tomatoes work best. The general rule of thumb is that the quantity of tomatoes should be twice the amount of onions in this recipe.
- 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 - Roasted Urad dal adds great texture to the chutney. So don't skip it. If you don't have it, substitute it with chana dal (bengal gram).
- Tamarind - Adds extra tang to the chutney. You can also use store-bought tamarind paste if that is what you have on hand. If the tomatoes are too tangy, then feel free to skip this one.
- Tempering - Mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, dry red chili, and oil are used for tempering.
How to Make Indian Tomato Onion Chutney
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon split urad dal, 3-4 dry red chilies, and saute until the dal turns light brown. (If you don't have dry red chilies, use 1 teaspoon of red chili powder while blending the chutney).
Then add 3 garlic cloves, 1 stalk of curry leaves, and 1 medium, roughly chopped onion (about 1 cup). Saute till onions turn soft and translucent.
Then add in 3 medium roughly chopped tomatoes (about 2 cups), ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and salt to taste. Cook the tomatoes until they are soft and mushy, around 5-6 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add 1 small piece of tamarind and 1 teaspoon jaggery (optional). Mix everything well. Cool the mixture.
Once the onion-tomato mixture cools, add it to a mixer grinder or small blender. Grind it to a smooth paste without adding any water.
For Tempering
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small tadka pan, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon urad dal, 1 dry red chili, and saute till the dal turns light brown.
Then, add a few curry leaves and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing). Saute for a few seconds and pour the tempering over the tomato chutney. Serve with idli, dosa, uttapam.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this authentic tomato onion chutney with breakfast dishes like idli, neer dosa, rava upma, paniyaram, paneer uttapam, poori, or paratha.
You can also serve it with hot instant pot basmati rice and dal tadka with some homemade ghee.
Storage Suggestions
This tomato chutney stays good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. So this is a great make-ahead chutney dish.
Tomato chutney also freezes well for up to a month when stored in freezer-safe containers or food storage bags.
Expert Tips
- Ripe Tomatoes: Use ripe red tomatoes to make the best-tasting tomato chutney.
- Red color: Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies to get the perfect bright red color.
- Texture: Lentils like roasted urad dal adds great texture to the chutney and a nutty aroma. Some recipes use both urad dal and chana dal.
- Roasting Garlic: Raw garlic is added to many traditional recipes, but roasting helps remove the pungent smell.
- Roasting the veggies: helps to remove the raw smell and elevates the flavors.
- Extra Tang: Adding tamarind gives extra tang, so skip it if your tomatoes are too tangy.
- Sweetness: Adding jaggery (or sugar), cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and balances out the flavors of the chutney.
Variation & Substitutions
- Peanuts: You can also add 2 tablespoons of air fryer roasted peanuts for a variation.
- Chana Dal: You can substitute roasted urad dal with chana dal (bengal gram) or use both in the recipe.
- Coconut: You can also add 2 tablespoons of fresh shredded coconut to make tomato coconut chutney.
- Ginger: You can substitute garlic with ginger to make tomato ginger chutney.
- Herbs: To make pudina onion tomato chutney, you may add fresh mint (pudina) leaves to this chutney. For a variation, you can also add fresh coriander leaves.
- Spiciness: If you don't have dry red chilies, use red chili powder. You may also use green chilies; make sure to roast them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, You can skip adding asafoetida (hing) to the tempering (tadka) or use gluten-free asafoetida.
Roasting tomatoes with other ingredients elevates the dish's flavor. Hence, I do not recommend making the chutney with raw tomatoes.
Onion Tomato Chutney (for Idli, Dosa)
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon split urad dal
- 3-4 dry red chilies
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 medium red onion (about 1 cup), 150 grams
- 3 medium tomatoes (about 2 cups), 300 grams
- 1 small piece tamarind optional
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon jaggery optional
- salt to taste
Tempering
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon urad dal
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 dry red chili
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) skip for gluten-free or use GF asafoetida
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add split urad dal, red chilies, and saute till the dal turns light brown.
- Then add garlic, curry leaves, and onion. Saute till onions turn soft and translucent.
- Then add in the tomatoes, turmeric, and salt. Cook the tomatoes until they are soft and mushy, around 5-6 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add tamarind and jaggery. Mix everything well. Cool the mixture.
- Once the onion tomato mixture cools, add it to mixi grinder or small blender. Grind it to a smooth paste without adding any water.
- For Tempering: Heat oil in a small tadka pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chili, and saute till dal turns light brown.Then add curry leaves and asafoetida (hing). Saute for a few seconds and pour the tempering over the tomato chutney.
- Serve with idli, dosa, uttapam, or any other South Indian breakfast.
Notes
Pro-Tips
- Ripe Tomatoes: Use ripe red tomatoes to make the best-tasting tomato chutney.
- Red color: Use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies to get the perfect bright red color.
- Texture: Lentils like roasted urad dal add great texture to the chutney and a nutty aroma. Some recipes use both urad dal and chana dal.
- Roasting Garlic: Raw garlic is added in many traditional recipes, but roasting helps remove the pungent smell.
- Roasting the veggies: helps to remove the raw smell and elevates the flavors.
- Extra Tang: Adding tamarind gives extra tang, so skip it if your tomatoes are too tangy.
- Sweetness: Adding jaggery (or sugar), cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and balances out the flavors of the chutney.
Variation & Substitutions
- Peanuts: You can also add 2 tablespoons of roasted peanuts for a variation.
- Chana Dal: You can substitute roasted urad dal with chana dal (bengal gram) or use both in the recipe.
- Coconut: You can also add 2 tablespoons of fresh shredded coconut to make tomato coconut chutney.
- Ginger: You can substitute garlic with ginger to make tomato ginger chutney.
- Herbs: You may also fresh mint (pudina) leaves to this chutney to make Pudina Onion Tomato Chutney. You can also add fresh coriander leaves for a variation.
- Spiciness: If you don't have dry red chilies, use red chili powder. Or you may also use green chilies, make sure to roast them.
Nutrition
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Mina Desai
I made this chutney today it came out delicious. I am in USA where tomatoes are not that sourso i use tamarind but not jeggery. Thankfor receipe.🙏
Bhavana Patil
Thank you Mina for trying the recipe, i am glad u liked it.
Prasanna
Tasted sooooo good ! Thankyou 😊 !
Bhavana Patil
Thank you so much Prasanna, Glad you liked it.