This south Indian tomato chutney is the second most favorite chutney variety after coconut chutney. This spicy, tangy tomato chutney is usually served with breakfast dishes like idli, dosa, vada, uttapam, paniyaram, etc. However, this goes well with plain rice, paratha, pakoda, sandwiches, etc.
There are many variations of tomato chutney all over India as well as in every region of south India. Every household has its version of making it but some of the ingredients are most common and vary slightly in taste and flavor.
When you visit south Indian restaurants, you’ll find 3-4 chutney verities and sambar are served as a side with your meal. This tomato chutney is one of them and the rest are coconut chutney, idli podi, and sometimes green coconut chutney.
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❤️You’ll Love This Recipe
Taste: Spicy (adjustable), tangy, garlicky, and flavorful.
Texture: Smooth, thick yet dippable consistency.
Easy to make: To make this tomato chutney recipe, onion, tomato, and garlic are cooked together with a few whole spices. Then ground into a smooth puree. Basic south Indian tempering (tadka) is made on top to enhance the flavor and it adds a nice aroma.
Quick to make: The given quantity requires around 20 minutes to prepare chutney. However, making a large batch then it requires more time as tomato needs more time to evaporate moisture and cook down.
Basic, easy-to-find ingredients: Nothing fancy is required, all the ingredients are easily available in Indian pantries or those who cook Indian food often.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Here is a pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make a delicious tomato chutney recipe.
For Chutney:
- Tomatoes:
- This is the key ingredient for making tomato chutney, so always use fresh tomatoes (not canned).
- Always use plum or roma tomato. Stay away from those big, flat tomatoes that have more water content and it takes time to evaporate that moisture.
- Use ripe and red tomatoes. Unripe tomatoes will make chutney super tangy.
- Onion: I prefer red onion for Indian cooking. However, you can use white or yellow onion if you have those on hand. Or you can use shallots.
- Garlic: It has the right amount of garlic flavor. If you like more garlicky then increase the amount. Or simply skip the garlic, if you don’t like garlic in your chutney. It will still taste good.
- Coriander seeds & Fenugreek seeds: These add a nice, unique flavor to the chutney. Please do not skip them.
- Dried red chilies: This is the ingredient that makes chutney spicy. So adjust the amount accordingly. See more tips below to adjust the spice level.
- Tamarind & Jaggery: Tamarind adds a nice tang and jaggery will balance that flavor.
For Tempering:
- Oil: Some prefer to use gingelly oil (Sesame oil) for tempering. But I have used regular cooking oil here.
- Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Hing, and Curry leaves: This is the common tempering ingredient for south Indian dishes. Curry leaves add a nice flavor and aroma to the chutney.
👩🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions
Make Tomato Chutney:
1) Heat the oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Once hot add fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds.
2) Fry until they are golden brown in color.
3) Add dried red chilies and saute for 20-30 seconds only.
4) Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Salt will speed up the onion cooking process.
5) Mix and cook until onions are light pink or translucent in color and start to soften. Also, there is no more raw smell of garlic.
6) Add chopped tomatoes, remaining salt, tamarind, and jaggery.
7) Mix and cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy kind.
8) Let the mixture cool down slightly, then transfer it to a blender.
9) Make a smooth paste out of it. You won’t need any water. But just in case, if you need to add water then add a little at a time and make sure that chutney doesn’t become too runny.
10) Remove it to a bowl.
Make Tempering:
1) Heat the oil in a small tadka pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2) Add urad dal and within a few seconds, the dal turns golden in color.
3) Add hing and curry leaves.
4) Immediately add this tempering to the tomato chutney, mix, and serve.
💭Expert Tips
- Use ripe tomatoes otherwise, unripe tomatoes make chutney sour. The sour taste is not good in chutney but the tangy flavor is good.
- Just in case, if your tomatoes are sour then skip adding tamarind.
- If tomato chutney turns out runny then add some peanuts or roasted chana dal, and grind again to adjust the consistency.
Adjust Spice Level:
- Super spicy: Add one or two green chilies along with dried chilies. Green chilies add a spicy taste without being too hot.
- Spicy: Follow as written.
- Medium spicy: Add one or two fewer chilies than mentioned.
- Mild: Remove the seeds of the chilies. Or use Kashmiri red chilies that are not spicy but give a nice red color.
🥣 Storage Instructions
- In the refrigerator, tomato chutney stays good for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
- In the freezer, It stays good for up to 3 months. I would freeze in silicone molds. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe ziplock bag and store them.
- To thaw, remove the required amount in a bowl and keep it on the counter for a few hours or until defrosted, or keep it in the refrigerator overnight.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- Serve tomato chutney as a side for dosa, idli, medu vada, uttapam, paniyaram, pongal, upma, etc.
- You can spread it on toast, bread, or buns for your sandwiches or desi-style burgers.
- You can mix tomato chutney with piping hot rice and a drizzle of ghee. This makes a quick meal when served with a side of yogurt and papad.
- This goes well as a dipping side for your paratha, pakora, tikki, cutlet, etc.
Check Out Other Chutney Recipes
Did you try this south Indian tomato chutney recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.
📋 Recipe Card
Tomato Chutney Recipe (For Idli, Dosa)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 4 Dried red chilies stems removed
- 1 cup Red onion chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 cups Tomatoes chopped (~ 2 large)
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Tamarind seedless
- 1 teaspoon Jaggery (Gur)
- ¼ cup Water to grind (use if needed)
For Tempering:
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon Urad dal (split, skinless black gram)
- 6-8 Curry leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Once hot add fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds. Fry until they are golden brown in color.
- Add dried red chilies and saute for 20-30 seconds only.
- Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Salt will speed up the onion cooking process. Mix and cook until onions are light pink or translucent in color and start to soften. Also, there is no more raw smell of garlic.
- Add chopped tomatoes, remaining salt, tamarind, and jaggery. Mix and cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy kind.
- Let the mixture cool down slightly, then transfer it to a blender.
- Make a smooth paste out of it. You won’t need any water. But just in case, if you need to add water then add a little at a time and make sure that chutney doesn’t become too runny.
- Remove it to a bowl.
- To make the tempering, heat the oil in a small tadka pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add urad dal and within a few seconds, the dal turns golden in color.
- Add hing and curry leaves.
- Immediately add this tempering to the tomato chutney, mix, and serve.
Notes
- Super spicy: Add one or two green chilies along with dried chilies. Green chilies add a spicy taste without being too hot.
- Spicy: Follow as written.
- Medium spicy: Add one or two fewer chilies than mentioned.
- Mild: Remove the seeds of the chilies. Or use Kashmiri red chilies that are not spicy but give a nice red color.
DHARAMBIR CHAUDHARY
very easy and quick to made . thanks for sharing ill try it
Kanan
You're welcome
Nirav
looks very yummy goes perfect with Medu vada.
thanks for sharing
Kanan
yes true