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.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: South Indian

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)

Method

  1. Heat oil in a pan over low to medium-low heat. Add the urad dal and sauté until it begins to turn light golden.
  2. Add the dried red chilies and continue sautéing until the dal is nicely browned and the chilies change color without burning.
  3. Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring often, until they soften and turn light golden.
  4. 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.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool until warm or at room temperature.
  6. 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.
  7. Taste and adjust the seasoning or tamarind if required. Blend once more after making any adjustments.
  8. Transfer to a serving bowl. If you like, finish with a tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chilies and curry leaves before serving.
  9. Serve with dosa, idli, medu vada, uttapam or paniyaram or steamed rice.

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.