South Indian · Side dish
Coconut chutney (South Indian thengai chutney)
Coconut chutney is the creamy, fresh side that sits next to almost every South Indian breakfast. Fresh coconut is ground with roasted chana dal, green chilli and a little ginger, then finished with a hot tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. It takes about 10 minutes and turns plain idli or dosa into a proper meal.
- Prep10 min
- Cook2 min
- Total12 min
- Servings4
- Per serving≈110 kcal
Ingredients
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Method
- Put the coconut, roasted chana dal, green chillies, ginger and salt in a mixer jar with 1/4 cup water.
- Grind to a smooth paste, then add more water a little at a time until the chutney is thick but spoonable. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Scrape the chutney into a serving bowl.
- Heat the coconut oil in a small pan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the urad dal and fry until light golden.
- Add the red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida, stir for a few seconds, then pour the hot tempering over the chutney and mix just before serving.
About this dish
This chutney is made all over South India under different names: thengai chutney in Tamil, kobbari pachadi in Telugu, kayi chutney in Kannada and thenga chammanthi in Malayalam. It is served in small steel bowls alongside idli, dosa, vada, pongal and uttapam, often together with sambar and a red chutney, and in many homes it is ground fresh every morning.
Roasted chana dal, called pottukadalai or putani, thickens the chutney and keeps it from separating. Restaurant versions are often thinner and milder, while home versions may add a few coriander or mint leaves, a small piece of tamarind or a spoon of yogurt. Because fresh coconut spoils quickly, the chutney is best eaten the same day and kept in the fridge in between.
Tips
- Frozen grated coconut works well; thaw it in warm water for a few minutes before grinding.
- Use lukewarm water if your coconut is cold, so the chutney grinds smoothly and does not turn grainy.
- For a hotel-style chutney, add a few extra tbsp of water and a small handful of coriander leaves.
Serve with
Serve with idli, dosa, medu vada, ven pongal or uttapam, alongside a bowl of sambar.
Goes well with: Idli
