Coconut chutney recipe

Coconut chutney recipe, learn how to make simple and humble basic south Indian one with lot of variations, tips and tricks to make the Best coconut chutney.

This is a very easy and common side dish made in South Indian households. Make it around the year for breakfast, evening snack, tiffin and dinner.

Check out my Peanut chutney recipe and my best Tomato chutney recipe in this website.

Jump to:

• About
• Ingredients
• Variations
• Top tips
• Storage
• White coconut chutney
• Recipe card

I have been thinking why to post this basic and simple recipe here. But many of the readers who are beginners/ new to cooking ask me how to make coconut chutney. So I think it's high time to post this one here.

The recipe is so simple and easy that can be made in a jiffy, there are lots and lots of variations that can be done with this basic recipe. I have added few of the simple variations in this post. Also few tips and tricks for making perfect tasty chutney.

About

Coconut chutney is a popular south Indian condiment (side dish) made with fresh grated coconut, green chilli as main ingredient. Other ingredients small onion, garlic, ginger are added for flavor and for volume, a little bit of dal is added. Usually coconut chutney is seasoned with spluttered mustard, urad dal, curry leaves in oil. Some people also add red chilli and asafoetida in tempering. It is so versatile that you can make chutney with any of your favorite ingredient. Pair it with idli, dosa, vada, pongal or paniyaram.

Ingredients

• Coconut - I always use fresh grated coconut. Younger coconut gives tastiest chutney. I like the texture of the chutney when we grate and grind the young coconut (not tender coconut).
• Green chilli - Most of the cases, add green chilli for heat and flavor too.
• Fried gram dal - This gives a homogenous texture and volume.
• Mustard, urad dal, curry leaves - For tempering.

Check recipe card for full list and exact measurements.

Variations

• Add a small pinch of tamarind (Add more chilli to balance)
• One garlic flake while grinding will give amazing flavor like hotel coconut chutney.
• Add a piece of ginger while grinding
• One small onion (Shallots) while grinding
• 3-4 curry leaves while grinding
• Add a half tomato sauteed while grinding (Add more chilli to balance)
• Half onion sauteed while grinding
• Add roasted chana dal in place of fried gram dal
• Use roasted red chillis in place of green chillis.
• Add roasted peanuts in place of fried gram dal.
• Temper 2 tablespoon finely chopped small onions and make chutney watery.
• Fry some carrot and grind along to make carrot chutney.
• Add a few drops of coconut oil and mix after grinding for a nice flavor or you can use coconut oil for tempering too.

Top tips

• White color chutney - Scrap the coconut without any brown skin for whiter results. Also adding more green chilli or fried gram dal can give dull color chutney.
  Using milk for grinding gives more white result and a naturally sweet taste too.
• Troubleshoot - If it becomes watery, you can add more coconut or pottukadalai to make it thick. Adjust spice and salt as needed. Add water carefully less and later you can dilute as needed.
• Choosing coconut - Using fresh coconut, that's shell is pale in color than the dark brown color works best.
• Do not touch the chutney with bare hands while grinding if you are packing it and makes sure you temper the chutney as my mom / MIL says it keeps the chutney longer without getting spoilt.

Storage

You can store coconut chutney in fridge for couple of days at optimal temperature of 3 deg. Do not leave in counter top for long time and then store in fridge. As soon as you grind, reserve some portion and refrigerate. I love the flavors of fresh coconut chutney best.

You can also freeze the chutney upto a month. Thaw in fridge for few hours before serving.

Serving suggestion

Pair it with your favorite south Indian dishes like idli, dosa, upma, vada, pongal, bajji, bonda, pakoda etc. You can also eat it with chapathi, lemon rice.

White coconut chutney

1. Grate coconut firstly. Then, measure and place it along with chilli, fried gram dal, salt and little water in a blender.
2. After that, grind it until smooth or desired consistency.
3. Then transfer to the serving dish and adjust water if needed.
4. Finally, heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard, followed by urad dal and curry leaves.
5. Mix it with the chutney, it's ready.

You can pair it up as side dish for most of the south Indian breakfasts.

Recipe card