Kara chutney is a popular breakfast side dish from southern India – a spicy tangy chutney made with onions, tomatoes, dry red chillies to a creamy consistency, served with Idles, dosa or paniyaram.
This Kara Chutney is one of the most commonly made recipes in South Indian homes.
The word ‘Kara’ means Spicy and chutney means a dip, usually served with Idles (South Indian Steamed rice and lentil cakes) or dosa ( rice and lentil crepes) for breakfast. Indian Homes have a number of handy chutney recipes to make, some of my favourites to make at home are Tomato Kara Chutney which is a very similar recipe to this one, but almost the reverse of this recipe. Also other family favourites are Spicy Peanut Mint Chutney this is my favourite version of spicy peanut butter, lastly Carrot Chutney is another unique and healthy chutney I make often at home.
This kara chutney recipe is exactly what I have eaten from childhood, mostly ate it with idles with a drizzle of sesame oil on it.
There are times I tweak the recipe to my liking. Sometimes I add more coconut, sometimes I skip coconut totally, sometimes I skip the tamarind. Occasionally ill add a small piece of ginger for a nice gingery flavour. check out my Instagram page for daily meal Inso. Soulsome cooking Instagram page.
This version I have shared is a basic recipe, feel free to try out different options which ever you like.
How to serve this Kara chutney recipe
Served with idli, dosa, uthappam, paniyaram etc
Ingredients required
To Grind
- 1 no. Onion
- 3 no.s Tomatoes
- 2 tsp Channa Dal
- 1 tsp Broken Urad Dal
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 4-5 no.s Dry red chillies
- Salt
- 1 small piece Tamarind (optional)
- 2 tbsp Grated coconut
- 1/4 cup Water
For Thalippu/Tadka
- 1 tsp Oil
- A few Curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Broken urad dal
- A pinch Asafoetida
Prep work before you begin
Roughly chop the onions, tomatoes and keep it aside
Alternative Versions
You can skip the tamarind in the recipe to make it a slightly different tasting recipe. Sometimes I add a small piece of ginger in the chutney to add a hint of flavour and it tastes delicious too.
Pictorial recipe (step by step)
Heat a pan on medium heat, add oil and once hot, add in the urad dal, channa dal and allow it to sizzle for a few seconds, add in the Dry red chillies and allow the lentils (dal) to slightly change colour)
Add the roughly chopped onions , salt and cook until the onions are translucent.
Next add in the tomatoes and cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened.
Mash it down, add a small piece of tamarind(optional) and turn off the flame.
Allow the ingredients to cool completely, and grind to a smooth paste along with the coconut.
Add water if required to dilute the chutney.
Prepare Thalippu/Tadka/Seasoning
Heat a small wok, add the oil mentioned under ‘thalippu’. Add mustard seeds to it allow it to crackle fully, add urad dal, dried red chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves and turn off the flame.
Add the Thalippu /Tadka on top of the chutney and serve hot with Idli, Dosa, Paniyaram or oothappam.
Storage and shelf life
You can make this chutney head and stores well for uptown a week, since we added tamarind to it. It keeps it from spoiling.
Kara Chutney Recipe
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
To Grind
- 1 no. Onion
- 3 no.s Tomatoes
- 2 tsp Channa Dal
- 1 tsp Broken Urad Dal
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 4-5 no.s Dry red chillies
- Salt (as required)
- 1 small piece Tamarind optional
- 2 tbsp Grated coconut
- 1/4 cup Water
For Thalippu/Tadka
- 1 tsp Oil
- A few Curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Broken urad dal
- A pinch Asafoetida
Instructions
- Heat a pan on medium heat, add oil and once hot, add in the urad dal, channa dal and allow it to sizzle for a few seconds, add in the Dry red chillies and allow the lentils (dal) to slightly change colour)
- Add the roughly chopped onions , salt and cook until the onions are translucent.
- Next add in the tomatoes and cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened.
- Mash it down, add a small piece of tamarind(optional) and turn off the flame.
- Allow the ingredients to cool completely, and grind to a smooth paste along with the coconut.
- Add water if required to dilute the chutney.
- Prepare Thalippu/Tadka/Seasoning
- Heat a small wok, add the oil mentioned under ‘thalippu’. Add mustard seeds to it allow it to crackle fully, add urad dal, dried red chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves and turn off the flame.
- Add the Thalippu /Tadka on top of the chutney and serve hot with Idli, Dosa, Paniyaram or oothappam.