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South Indian tomato chutney with mustard seed and curry leaf tempering, served with dosa and vada

Tomato Chutney (South Indian Style)

Tangy, spicy South Indian tomato chutney cooked with garlic, dried red chilli and lentils, blended smooth and finished with a mustard seed tempering. Ready in about 25 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (about 1 1/4 cups)
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chutney
  • 1 tbsp oil any neutral oil
  • 1 tsp chana dal optional; adds body
  • 1 tsp urad dal optional
  • 3 dried red chillies use Kashmiri chillies for a milder chutney
  • 1 small onion sliced; optional
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3 medium tomatoes about 350 g, chopped. Or 1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp jaggery or sugar optional; balances very sour tomatoes
For the tempering
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 0.5 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 8 curry leaves skip if you cannot find them
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) optional; choose a gluten-free brand if needed

Equipment

  • 1 Frying pan
  • 1 Blender

Method
 

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chana dal and urad dal and stir until they turn light golden, about 1 minute. Add the dried red chillies and stir for 20 seconds.
  2. Add the onion, if using, and the garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, until the onion softens.
  3. Add the tomatoes and salt. Cook, stirring now and then, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick, jammy mixture and most of the liquid has cooked off. Stir in the jaggery if your tomatoes taste very sharp.
  4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes, so it is safe to blend.
  5. Blend to a smooth paste without adding water. Taste for salt and spoon into a bowl.
  6. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop, then add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Stir for 10 seconds and pour over the chutney.

Notes

Serve with: dosa, idli, medu vada, rice, or spread inside a grilled cheese sandwich.
Storage: keeps in a clean, covered jar in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Always use a dry spoon. It freezes well for up to 2 months.
Outside India: canned whole tomatoes give a deeper red colour than pale out-of-season tomatoes. Drain off some of the juice so the cooking time stays about the same.
Variations: add a small piece of ginger with the garlic, or a teaspoon of tamarind paste for a sharper chutney.