Onion Tomato Chutney

5 from 7 votes

Onion Tomato Chutney is a simple South Indian chutney made with onions, tomatoes, urad dal, dried red chilies and tamarind. This homemade version has a balanced sweet, tangy and mildly spicy flavor and is prepared without a tempering. It comes together in about 20 minutes using everyday ingredients. Serve it with dosa, idli, medu vada or uttapam.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: South Indian

Diet: Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 67kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

2 medium-sized/100 grams onion – chopped
1 large or 2 medium-sized/100 grams tomato – chopped
½ teaspoon urad dal (spilt and hulled black gram)
1 to 2 dry red red chilies – kept whole or broken, deseeded if you prefer
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
½ teaspoon tightly packed or 1 small piece tamarind
1 tablespoon oil – any neutral oil, can also use sesame oil (gingelly oil)
salt – as required
water – as required for grinding the chutney, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oil in a pan over low to medium-low heat. Add the urad dal and sauté until it begins to turn light golden.
Add the dried red chilies and continue sautéing until the dal is nicely browned and the chilies change color without burning.
Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring often, until they soften and turn light golden.
Add the chopped tomatoes, asafoetida and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes soften completely and lose their raw aroma. If needed, sprinkle a little water to prevent sticking.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool until warm or at room temperature.
Transfer the mixture to a small grinder jar. Add the tamarind and blend to a smooth chutney. Add a little water if needed to help with grinding.
Taste and adjust the seasoning or tamarind if required. Blend once more after making any adjustments.
Transfer to a serving bowl. If you like, finish with a tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chilies and curry leaves before serving.
Serve with dosa, idli, medu vada, uttapam or paniyaram or steamed rice.

Notes

Cook the tomatoes completely before blending.
Do not burn the urad dal or dried red chilies.
Blend without water if possible for a thicker chutney. Add only enough water to help the chutney blend smoothly.
Adjust the dried red chilies and tamarind to suit your taste. Tamarind can be skipped.
An optional mustard seed and curry leaf tempering can be added before serving.
The recipe scales up well. Simply double or triple the ingredients while keeping the same cooking method.

Nutrition