Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, Garlic chutney (red chutney) is a gluten-free Indian side made with simple everyday ingredients in about 10 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 9 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 minutes
  • Total time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 25 dried red chilies ((or 2½ tablespoons kashmiri chilli powder))
  • 10 medium garlic cloves ((refer notes))
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ((or cumin powder))
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • 1½ to 2 tablespoons sugar ((or jaggery, adjust to taste))
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoon lemon juice ((or apple vinegar, adjust to taste))
  • 1½ tablespoon oil
  • 1 pinch mustard seeds
  • 1 pinch hing ((skip to make gluten-free))
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Method

  1. Optional - Skip this step if you prefer to use red chilli powder. Break red chilies to 2 parts each and deseed them. Remove the stalks. Add them to a bowl and pour hot water. Once they soften, remove them from water and add to a grinder/ blender jar.
  2. Add garlic, salt, sugar, vinegar, cumin seeds and 3 to 4 tablespoons water to the same blender jar.
  3. Blend all of them until smooth and thick adding more water as needed. It should have a sauce like consistency.
  4. Taste test and add more sugar, salt or vinegar to suit your taste. It should be well balanced in flavors and taste slightly hot, spicy, tangy and mildly sweet.
  5. Garlic chutney is ready to serve with snacks, breakfasts and chaats.

Tempering (optional)

  1. If you prefer to temper, heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and curry leaves.
  2. When the leaves turn crisp, add hing and lower the heat completely. Pour the garlic chutney.
  3. Stir and cook just for a minute. Avoid over cooking to prevent bitter tones. Set aside to cool and transfer to a clean dry glass jar. Refrigerate and use within 3 to 4 weeks.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.