If you're looking to add serious flavour to your dosa or idli, this Keralan Red Chilli and Tomato Chutney is a must-try. Bold, vibrant, and packing a punch, this chutney brings together the smoky heat of dried red chillies with the sweetness of onions, the nuttiness of urad dal and mustard seeds and the richness of coconut oil. It’s a staple in many South Indian homes, especially in Kerala where spice is a way of life.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make it, what equipment you need, how to store it, variations to suit different tastes, and frequently asked questions.
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Ingredients
As you can see from the photo, there aren't a lot of ingredients in this chilli and tomato chutney but they all go so nicely together. Get them all prepared before you start cooking.
- Coconut oil
- White split urad dal
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Kashmiri chillies
- Red onion
- Chopped tomatoes
- Ground turmeric
- Salt to taste
- FOR THE TARKA
- Coconut oil
- Black mustard seeds
- White split urad dal
- Asafoetida
- Kashmiri chillies
- Curry leaves.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step photos
Scroll through my step by step photos to see how easy it is to make this delicious chutney!
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil begins to glisten, add the urad dal and sauté for about 3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Step 2: Add the ginger, garlic and Kashmiri chillies and continue frying for another two minutes. As you do this, the urad dal will begin to turn a golden brown.
- Step 3: Stir in the sliced red onion and fry for about 2 minutes and then add the dried chillies. Fry for a further 3 minutes or until it is turning soft and and the onion is translucent.
- Step 6: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Let it all simmer and meld together for a couple of minutes and then take off the heat and allow to cool some.
- Step 7: Blend it all to a smooth paste. This will take longer with some blenders than others. You can add a drop of water to assist blending.
- Step 8: At this point, the paste will be quite thick.
- Step 9: Slowly add water until it is the same consistency as double (heavy) cream and season with salt to taste.
- Step 10: To make the tarka, heat the oil over a medium-high heat in a frying pan. When it is bubbly hot, add the mustard seeds and sauté until they begin to crackle.
- Step 11: Add the urad dal and fry until it becomes golden brown, the stir in the asafoetida, dried chillies and curry leaves to infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds.
- Step 12: Pour the hot tarka over the red chilli chutney. You can serve it like this or stir it in for a more balanced flavour.
- Step 13: You might like to check it one last time and season it with salt to taste just before serving. This is best served at room temperature.
What is Keralan Red Chilli and Tomato Chutney?
This chutney is traditionally served with dosas, idlis, and sometimes even appams and poppadoms. Unlike coconut chutneys, it doesn’t require fresh coconut, making it a convenient and long-lasting condiment. It relies on dried red chillies—usually Byadgi or Kashmiri for colour, combined with aromatics like onion, garlic, and of course tomatoes which provides acidity.
What makes it special is the final tempering in coconut oil, which adds an unmistakable Keralan touch.
Variations
- With coconut:
Add 2 tbsp thick coconut milk, or more to taste, for a slightly creamier version. - Roasted tomatoes:
Try roasting whole tomatoes over a fire or gas burner until charred. This will give the chutney a nice and smoky touch. - Spicy:
This is a rather calm version of chilli and tomato chutney. If you like spicy heat, add more dried chillies.
Equipment
No specialty equipment is required for this recipe. You'll need a good frying pan and a spatula or spoon. You will also need a blender to blend the chutney.
Storage
Fridge:
Store in a clean airtight container for up to 7–10 days.
Freezer:
Freeze in small portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before use. If you are freezing the chutney, be sure to label and date the containers.
Tip: Always use a dry, clean spoon to avoid spoilage.
Top Tip
Make ahead: This is a recipe you can make one or two days ahead of cooking. The flavours will develop as it rests in your fridge. For best results, store the tarka separately to the chutney. Then heat up the tarka and pour it over just before serving.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favourite dishes to serve with chilli and tomato chutney:
Chilli and Tomato Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 2 tbsp white split urad dal
- 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) ginger, cut into three pieces
- 5 cloves garlic
- 12 dried Kashmiri chillies
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 400g (15oz) tinned (canned) chopped tomatoes
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- Salt to taste
- FOR THE TARKA
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp white split urad dal
- ½ tsp asafoetida
- 3 Kashmiri chillies
- 15 fresh or frozen curry leaves.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil begins to glisten, add the urad dal and sauté for about 3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the ginger, garlic and Kashmiri chillies and continue frying for another two minutes. As you do this, the urad dal will begin to turn a golden brown.
- Take off the heat and allow to cool some. Then blend to a smooth paste and set aside.
- At this point, the paste will be quite thick. Slowly add water until it is the same consistency as double (heavy) cream and season with salt to taste.
- To make the tarka, heat the oil over a medium-high heat in a frying pan. When it is bubbly hot, add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, add the urad dal, asafoetida, Kashmiri chillies and curry leaves. Fry for about 30 seconds to flavour the oil and then pour it all over the chutney.
- Stir it in and enjoy with dosas or idlies at room temperature.
Stir in the sliced red onion and fry for about 2 minutes and then add the dried chillies. Fry for a further 3 minutes or until it is turning soft and and the onion is translucent. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
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