Coconut Garlic Chutney
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 2-3 1x
Description
Serve this rich and tangy chutney with your favorite South Indian snacks like idli, dosa, vada and mysore bonda.
Ingredients
main ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) grated coconut, tightly packed, fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) roasted chana dal
- 1 to 2 green chilies, chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped coriander leaves
- 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or as required
- rock salt as required
for tempering/tadka/chaunk
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- a pinch of asafoetida
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 1-2 dry red chilies, kept whole or broken & deseeded
Instructions
- first grind the coconut, roasted chana dal, green chilies, coriander leaves, garlic in a chutney grinder or blender with water.
- season the chutney with salt and keep aside.
- in a small pan, heat oil on a low flame.
- when the oil becomes hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
- keep the flame low.
- let mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal get reddish brown.
- they will take almost the same time to get cooked.
- then add the dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
- stir and fry till the curry leaves become crisp and the red chilies change color.
- pour the hot tempering in the prepared chutney.
- stir and then serve the garlic coconut chutney with idli, dosa, vadai or upma.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 70
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is roasted chana dal and why is it in the chutney base?
Roasted chana dal is dried split chickpeas that have been dry-roasted until golden — it’s a common South Indian pantry ingredient. In this chutney, the 2 tbsp of chana dal is ground with the 1/2 cup coconut, garlic, and chilies to add body and a subtle nutty flavor to the base without needing any cooking step for the chutney itself.
What is the tempering (tadka) step and can I skip it?
The tempering — mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, curry leaves, and dry red chilies bloomed in hot oil — is poured over the ground chutney at the end. It adds a smoky, aromatic top note that is characteristic of South Indian chutneys served with idli and dosa. Skipping it will give you a raw-tasting chutney; the tempering is what finishes it. 
