This Onion Tomato Chutney is one of the most popular side dishes served in restaurants and South Indian homes. It goes well with most Indian breakfast meals like idli, dosa, vada, uttapam. It can also be served as a side in any Indian meal.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 8 minutes
  • Cook time: 17 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (330 grams) tomatoes ((chopped from 3 medium tomatoes))
  • ¾ cup (110 grams) onions ((sliced/diced from 1 medium onion, red/yellow))
  • 3 to 4 (7 grams) large garlic cloves ((peeled))
  • ½ inch (5 grams) ginger ((peeled & sliced))
  • 1 sprig curry leaves ((or sub with 10 mint leaves or 2 to 3 tender stalks of coriander leaves))
  • 1½ tablespoon (22 ml) oil
  • ½ tablespoon (6 grams) chana dal ((Bengal gram or 2 tbsp peanuts))
  • 1 tablespoon (12 grams) urad dal ((skinned black gram))
  • 6 to 8 (12 grams) dried red chilies ((read notes, I use Byadgi, or use ¾ to 1 tsp mild red chili powder))
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds ((jeera or sub with shahi jeera for a different flavor))
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt ((more to adjust))
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric ((optional))
  • 1½ teaspoon oil
  • ⅓ teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon urad dal ((skinned black gram) (optional))
  • 1 to 2 dried red chili (break if you want)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves ((pat dry))
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing, optional))

Method

How to make Tomato Chutney

  1. Heat oil in a pan and add chana dal, urad dal & red chilies. Fry them on a medium flame until light golden & aromatic, for 2 to 3 mins.
  2. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Fry them for a minute. Add the onions & saute for 4 to 5 mins, until transparent.
  3. Stir in the tomatoes,salt and turmeric. Saute or cook covered, until they break down and turn mushy, for another 5 to 7 mins. If your pan dries out during this process, add a splash of water.
  4. Cool down and blend to a smooth or slightly coarse chutney to your liking. (Optionally if you want you may reserve some of the red chilies before blending, to adjust later) Taste test & adjust salt.

To Temper

  1. On a medium flame, heat oil in a small pan. When the oil is medium hot, add mustard, urad dal, red chili and curry leaves, one after the other. Fry until the lentils turn light golden & the curry leaves turn crisp. Turn off and add hing.
  2. Pour this over the Tomato Chutney. Serve with South Indian breakfasts like idli, dosa, uttapam etc.

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.