Onion Tomato Chutney (for Idli, Dosa)

onion tomato chutney served in a bowl with tempering on the top with side of coconut chutney and idli

5 from 4 votes

Onion Tomato Chutney (for Idli, Dosa)

Learn how to make Restaurant 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.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword onion chutney, onion tomato chutney, tomato chutney

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegan

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 73kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon split urad dal
3-4 dry red chilies
3 cloves garlic
1 sprig curry leaves
1 medium red onion (about 1 cup), 150 grams
3 medium tomatoes (about 2 cups), 300 grams
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
few curry leaves
1 dry red chili
a 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