I have been sharing some easy chutney recipes, especially for idli and dosas, and the next one is the onion tomato chutney. Earlier, I shared exclusive onion chutney without tomatoes and tomato chutney without onion and garlic. But this one has onion, garlic, and tomatoes. In restaurants, you will find atleast two to three chutneys served with idli and dosa along with sambar. This tomato onion chutney is one of the popular ones. Ok, I am not calling my chutney restaurant-style chutney. It’s homestyle chutney with lentils. Call this red chutney or kara chutney or thakkali vengaya chutney; it’s a delicious chutney for sure that pairs well with idli, dosa, and also rice. Yes, you can serve it with yogurt rice or plain rice. As we add lentils, the chutney is slightly thick and goes well with rice.
Ingredients required
Lentils and dried red chilies – I add an equal amount of urad dal and chana dal. I personally prefer dried red chilies for this chutney. Try Bdyagi or Kashmiri red chili variety for the bright red color.You don’t need too many lentils here. A small amount is sufficient, and we are adding lentils just to add some texture and thickness to the chutney. Onions and garlic – I used one big red onion(approx 210 grams) and two big fat garlic cloves, 6 grams. Tomatoes – I added the same measure of onion and garlic and used three medium-sized tomatoes that measured approximately 220 grams. To Temper – We need oil, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp urad dal, a pinch of asafoetida, and curry leaves. Indian sesame oil/ gingelly oil to drizzle on top, but that’s optional. We also need salt to taste.
Dietary specifications
This onion tomato chutney is naturally nut-free and vegan. Use gluten-free asafoetida for a gluten-free version.It stays good for three days when refrigerated. For longer shelf life, my mom sautes the chutney again. It stays good for five days even without refrigeration. You can serve this chutney with idli, dosa, and rice. I served this chutney with my aval dosa.
How to make tomato onion chutney
Heat ½ tsp of oil in a pan or kadai. Add the urad dal, chana dal, and dried red chilies broken into small pieces when the oil is hot.
Roast the lentils until they turn nice golden brown like below. Transfer it to the mixer jar and let it cool.
In the same kadai/pan, add 1 tsp of oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and garlic.
Cook until the onions turn soft and translucent. It took me approx 7 minutes. Transfer it to the mixer jar.
In the same kadai, add the chopped tomatoes.
Cook till the tomatoes are slightly soft and mushy. Let it cool.
First, grind the lentils and the onions coarsely.
Now add the tomatoes and salt and grind it smooth. No need to add water and if required add 1 to 2 tbsp.
In a separate tempering pan, heat oil. Add the mustard seeds, urad dal, and asafoetida when the oil is hot. Add the curry leaves when the mustard seeds splutter and turn off the heat. Let the curry leaves crisp up in the residual heat. Add this tempering to the chutney. Drizzle the gingelly oil (if using) and serve it with idli and dosa.
Recipe Notes
I used groundnut oil for sauteing and tempering. You can use gingelly oil or oil of your choice.You can add a small piece of tamarind or ¼ tsp of tamarind paste for a tangy taste.Adjust salt and red chilies to taste. For a bright red color chutney, use byadgi or Kashmiri red chilies or a combination of Guntur/byadgi or Guntur and Kashmiri red chilies. You can add up to 10 grams of garlic, 4 to 5 cloves.
Explore other chutney recipes for idli and dosa
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📖 Recipe
Update Notes – Earlier posted in 2009, now updated with new pics, step-wise pictures and recipe card.
