Recipe of the month: Onion Tomato Chutney

In contrast to my usual style, I solemnly swear that this recipe post is going to be short. 

This is a savoury chutney recipe I stumbled upon three years ago on one of the food blogs that I religiously follow. I happened to be bored of the usual coconut-based chutney and all its subtle variations for idli, dosa and the likes of it so I was on the lookout for a different kind of accompaniment. Once I arrived at this recipe, I glanced at the ingredients and procedure and it looked enticingly uncomplicated. It turned out great and me and the husband were hooked onto it. Once I started making this chutney, it went on to become a regular in our household. I used to make the traditional coconut chutney while making idli, dosa, uttapam and guliappa but now I have added this vibrant onion tomato chutney to the list of must-have side dishes to go along.

This chutney is onion-based and has only five major ingredients. It comes together very easily, is lip-smacking delicious and keeps in the fridge easily for up to four days. Although it is ideally meant for serving with the above-mentioned South Indian breakfast dishes, it can be also used as a sandwich spread. I use it in grilled cheese sandwiches and I swear it is the bomb.

Try this chutney and you will realize that I speak the truth 😊

Onion Tomato Chutney 

Preparation time: 5 minutes 

Cooking time: ~15 minutes 

Serves: 4
Recipe category: Side dish/South Indian
Recipe level: Very easy
Recipe source: Adapted from here

Ingredients:

2 large red onions, sliced lengthwise

1 ripe tomato, roughly chopped 

4-5 dry red chillies, preferably byadagi chillies (adjust to taste) 

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped 

1/4 tsp of hing (asafoetida) 

1/2 tsp of sugar

1/2 tsp salt or adjust to taste 

1 tbsp vegetable oil 

Method:

1. Heat the oil and add the sliced onions. Fry until a caramel brown and soft. You can sprinkle a pinch of salt to hasten the cooking process.

2. Add the red chillies, garlic, and hing and fry for a while longer until the garlic turns fragrant.

3. Add the chopped tomato, sugar and salt to taste. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and the mixture is moist. Remove from the stove and set aside to cool.

4. Grind without adding water to a smooth paste. If you find it hard to do this, you can add 1 tbsp of water.

5. The chutney is now ready. You can serve this chutney alongside idli, dosa, utthapam, guliappa (paddu) or unconventionally, use it as a sandwich spread.

 Notes:

• You can use shallots instead of the onions
• If you use byadagi dry red chillies, you get a intense red color on the chutney. If your chillies are not the rich color infusing variety, you can add a little kashmiri red chilli powder (make sure you balance the spiciness)
• If you prefer the chutney chunky, you can grind it less until the desired consistency is reached. I prefer a smooth texture to this chutney and so I grind it until smooth
• The chutney keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days

Cheers,

Megha