Raw Onion Chutney

Raw Onion chutney is a spicy chutney made by grinding Raw shallots, dry red chillies, garlic and fried in a tempering oil.
This is a version of onion chutney which uses shallots or pearl onions. The pearl onions have a general sweetish taste to it which adds a unique taste to this chutney.
This raw onion chutney is a 4 ingredient chutney to grind. Onions are pealed and ground along with dry red chillies, tamarind, garlic pod and then tempered.
In the olden times this is ground in stones which makes it even more flavorful, now mordern kitchens are blessed with high speed blender to get a nice chutney.
The tempering step is an important one. This is where the onion flavours is cooked off. Some recipes simply add the tempering to the chutney and serve as it is. I like to cook it off a bit so it doesn’t taste too strong.
Adding jaggery brings out the taste of the chutney. So I highly recommend.

How to eat
This chutney is best served with idli dosa with a drizzle of sesame oil.
Also check out other chutney recipes on the blog.
Coconut chutney / Raw coconut dip
Green Chutney, How to make green Chutney
Onion Tomato chutney / 15 minutes onion tomato chutney
Other side dish for Idli Dosa
VadaCurry Recipe | Vada curry | Vadakari
Tiffin Sambar | Hotel Style sambar

Ingredients required
To grind:
- Pearl onions – peeled 1 cup
- Garlic – 1 large pod 3-4 small ones
- Salt to taste 1 tsp
- Dry red chilli- 10-12 no.s
- Tamarind – 1 small berry size
- Water – 2 tbsp or more
- Jaggery – 1 small piece
To temper :
- Sesame oil or gingerly oil – 4 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
- Curry leaves – a few

Prep work before you begin
Peel the shallots, pearl onions and garlic.
Tips
This chutney is pretty spicy. If you wish to reduce the heat, half the amount of dry red chillies in the recipe.
If you don’t have pearl onions, you can replace it with regular onions. About 1 large onion for this recipe.
Storage and shelf life
Since this chutney is cooked well in oil and also has tamarind. It can be stored in an air tight container and can last for about a week in the refrigerator.
Pictorial recipe (step by step)
Blend all ingredients under (to grind) to a smooth paste.




Heat a pan to medium heat, add sesame oil, mustard seeds and allow it to sputter fully.
Next add fennel seeds, curry leaves and let the flavours infuse for a few seconds.

Add the ground onion red chilli mixture.

Cook for 10 mins until the chutney thickens and darkens and turns glossy.

Serve with dosa/ idli


Raw Onion Chutney
Equipment
- Fine blender
Ingredients
To grind:
- Pearl onions – peeled 1 cup
- Garlic – 1 large pod 3-4 small ones
- Salt to taste 1 tsp
- Dry red chilli- 10-12 no.s
- Tamarind – 1 small berry size
- Water – 2 tbsp or more
- Jaggery – 1 small piece
To temper :
- Sesame oil or gingerly oil – 4 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
- Curry leaves – a few
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients under (to grind) to a smooth paste.
- Heat a pan to medium heat, add sesame oil, mustard seeds and allow it to sputter fully.
- Next add fennel seeds, curry leaves and let the flavours infuse for a few seconds.
- Add the ground onion red chilli mixture.
- Cook for 10 mins until the chutney thickens and darkens and turns glossy.
- Serve with dosa/ idli
Also check out other similar recipes