Red Onion Chutney Recipe (South Indian Style)

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

5 from 4 votes

Red Onion Chutney Recipe (South Indian Style)

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

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Keyword onion chutney, red onion chutney

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 64kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

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
½ teaspoon jaggery optional
salt to taste
2 tablespoons water or as needed, for blending

Tempering:

1 teaspoon oil
½ 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.
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.
Once cooled, transfer the mixture into the blender. Add tamarind, jaggery, and salt and blend with no or very less water until smooth.
Heat coconut oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves, and hing, and saute for a few seconds.
Add the tempering and pour the tempering over the ground onion chutney.
Serve onion chutney with idli or dosa.

Video

Notes

Tips & Variations

Type of Onion: Try using red onions or shallots for this recipe to get the best results.
Lentils: You can roast 1 teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal separately and grind along with sautéed onion mixture. Lentils like roasted urad dal & chana dal add great texture to the chutney and a nutty aroma.
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.
Roasting Onion: Roast the onions on medium-low flame till it caramelizes or turns golden brown. Else chutney will have raw onion taste.
Tanginess: If you don't have tamarind replace it with lemon juice. But traditionally, tamarind is used.

Nutrition