Spicy onion chutney is a south Indian side made with onions or shallots, spices and curry leaves. It can be served with most Indian breakfasts and snacks like idli, dosa, vada, bonda, pakoras etc.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 8 minutes
  • Cook time: 8 minutes
  • Total time: 16 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup onions (cubed (2 medium) (or shallots))
  • 1½ to 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts
  • ¾ tablespoon bengal gram (chana dal (optional))
  • ¾ tablespoon skinned black gram ((urad dal) (optional))
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 to 4 dried red chilies ((less spicy variety or 1 tsp chilli powder))
  • 1 sprig curry leaves ((optional))
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ((jeera))
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind ((or lemon juice as needed))
  • 1 teaspoon jaggery or sugar ((optional))
  • ½ teaspoon salt ((or as needed))
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ tablespoons oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon urad dal ((optional))
  • ½ dried red chili ((broken))
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))

Method

Preparation

  1. This step is optional but I prefer to soak my jaggery and tamarind in water. Filter and use as most times both of these have some debris. However you may add them directly. Soak 1 teaspoon tamarind and 1 teaspoon jaggery in half cup water. Set this aside.

How to Make Onion Chutney

  1. Pour 1½ tbsp oil to a pan and heat it. Add ¾ tablespoon chana dal, ¾ tablespoon urad dal, 2 tablespoons peanuts and 3 to 4 dried red chilies.
  2. Fry until them stirring often until lightly golden & aromatic.
  3. Add 2 garlic and 1 cup cubed onions. Fry them for 3 to 4 mins until the onions are half done.
  4. Next add jeera and curry leaves. Saute until the onions are light golden or turn soft. Cool completely.
  5. Next add these to a blender jar along with ½ teaspoon salt. Squeeze soaked tamarind in the water.
  6. Filter it through a small sieve or tea strainer. Blend all of these until smooth adding more water as needed.
  7. Taste test and add more salt. If needed pour more water to the soaked tamarind & filter it back to the jar. Transfer the onion chutney to a serving bowl.

Tempering

  1. Pour ½ tbsp oil to the pan & heat it on a medium flame. When the oil turns hot, add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon urad dal and ½ dried red chili.
  2. Fry till the dal turns light golden, then add curry leaves and hing.
  3. Pour this to the chutney. Serve onion chutney with breakfast or snacks.

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.