South Indian Onion Tomato Chutney

Coconut Chutney is a staple in every South Indian home. You guys might have read about the variety of Konkani Coconut Chutneys my Mom makes for us. Let me add one more South Indian condiment today, where onions and tomatoes are the highlights and not coconut. Quite different from the regular coconut chutney, with a hint of sweet and sour flavors.

Ingredients:
Onion - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Green Chili - 1
Shredded Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 3 tbsp
Chana Dal/Split Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1 tbsp
Dry Red Chilies - 3
Jaggery/Gud/Gul - 1 tsp
Tamarind/Imli/Chinch - 1 tsp
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs
Oil - 1 tbsp and 1 tsp
Salt

Tempering/Tadka:
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig
Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chilies - 2
Oil - 1 tsp

How to make South Indian Onion Tomato Chutney:

• Heat about 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add chana dal, urad dal and 3 dry red chilies. Sauté at low flame until the dals slightly change color and turn aromatic.  Keep it aside.
• Medium chop onions, tomatoes, ginger and green chilies. Finely chop cilantro leaves.
• In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Add onions, ginger and green chilies. Sauté until onions turn soft. Lastly, add tomatoes and sauté until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Cook it for couple minutes until moisture from the tomatoes evaporates.
• Grind the roasted dals, red chilies, cooked onions tomatoes, coconut, salt, jaggery and tamarind to a smooth or slightly coarse paste. Your onion tomato chutney with a hint of coconut is ready. If jaggery is not available, use sugar or molasses. And tamarind adds that additional tang to the chutney. Taste the chutney and add more tamarind, jaggery to suit your taste.
• TADKA/TEMPERING: Pat the washed curry leaves dry. Heat about 1 tsp oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and 2 dry red chilies. When mustard seeds pop, add curry leaves and asafetida. Turn off the heat and pour this tempering over the chutney.
  

Garnish with cilantro and serve Onion Tomato Chutney with your favorite South Indian Breakfast - Idli, Dosa. I served this chutney with a Konkani special steamed rice dish, Undi.