Sides, breads & soups · Andhra Pradesh

Red Coconut Chutney

A fiery brick-red chutney of coconut, roasted dried chillies, tamarind and garlic, the one you want smeared inside a crisp dosa.

Prep 10 min · Cook 6 min · Total 16 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Chutney

• 1 cup Fresh coconut, grated
• 6 Dried red chillies
• 1 tbsp Chana dal
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 10 g Tamarind
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Oil
• ½ cup Water

Tadka

• 2 tsp Oil
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp Urad dal
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 pinch Asafoetida (hing)

Method

1. Roast. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan over low heat. Fry the chana dal and urad dal until golden, add the red chillies and stir for a minute until they puff and darken slightly, then add the garlic for 30 seconds. Let it cool.
2. Grind. Grind the roasted mix with the coconut, tamarind, salt and about 1/3 cup water to a smooth, thick paste. Add a little more water only if the blades stick.
3. Temper. Heat 2 tsp oil, pop the mustard seeds, fry the urad dal until golden, then add the curry leaves and hing. Pour over the chutney.
4. Serve. Spread a thin layer inside a dosa before folding, or serve alongside idli and vada. It keeps 2 days in the fridge.

Tips

Fry the chillies on low heat: if they blacken the chutney turns bitter and loses its bright colour. Soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes first gives an even smoother paste.