Kara Chutney | Easy Kara Chutney Recipe

Spicy and delicious Kara Chutney recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Easy Kara Chutney recipe goes well with any South Indian breakfast recipes!

We are a big chutney loving family. We love our chutneys so much that we don’t mind what the main dish is sometimes, as much as we worry about the side dishes. I have gone on and on here about how we love our hearty breakfasts every morning. And no South Indian breakfast is complete without a good chutney.

I have already posted a few combinations of onion and tomato chutneys – precisely how my mom or my MIL would prepare. Very recently I learnt this version of onion chutney that is also called Kara Chutney as it is supposed to be spicy. It is absolutely delicious with hot, soft idlis – you just have to taste the combination to believe me!

The secret to making the best tasting Kara Chutney is to use Chinna Vengayam or shallots (also called Madras Vengayam or Pearl onions). These small onions give a distinctive taste to the chutney with a slight tanginess from tomatoes. It is no mean task peeling these shallots but I assure you, it’s well worth it. I would urge anyone trying this recipe to try and use shallots but nevertheless this chutney is tasty with regular onions too!

How to make Kara Chutney | Easy Kara Chutney Recipe

📖 Recipe

To make Kara Chutney

Ramya

Spicy and delicious Kara Chutney recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Easy Kara Chutney recipe goes well with any South Indian breakfast recipes!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine Tamilnadu Recipes

Servings 1 cup

MEASUREMENT

1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 15-20 Chinna Vengayam/Shallots
• ▢ 1 Large Ripe Tomato
• ▢ 3-4 Garlic Pods
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon Urad Dal
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Chana Dal
• ▢ 4-5 Dry Red Chillies
• ▢ 2.5 teaspoon Oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• ▢ Generous Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
• ▢ A few Curry Leaves
• ▢ Salt as needed
• ▢ Water as needed

COOK MODEPrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• In a pan, heat 1.5 teaspoon of oil. Add urad dal, chana dal and dried red chillies. Fry until urad/chana dal is golden brown. Add shallots and garlic pods. Add salt needed for the shallots and fry until half cooked on low flame.
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they are mushy. Let the mixture cool down completely. Blend into a coarse paste in a blender. In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds. As they splutter, add asafoetida/hing and fresh curry leaves. Let them fry for a few seconds. Add this tempering to the chutney.
• Serve as side for idli and dosa.

Notes

• Shallots add to the flavor of the chutney. If unavailable use two medium sized onions.
• The tomato has to be ripe and juicy.
• Adjust the number of red chillies as per spiciness needed.
• Grind this chutney coarsely and not too fine for better texture and taste.
• Store the chutney in an airtight container for upto 5 days in refrigerator.

Keyword kara chutney recipe, Side Dishes for Idli-Dosa

InstagramMention @cookingfromheart or tag #cookingfromheart if you have tried this recipe!

YouTubeDo you enjoy short recipe videos? Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch new videos!

Kara Chutney Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

Prep Work

1. Soak the shallots/chinna vengayam in a bowl of water (to ease the peeling of skin), chop off the tips and peel off the skin. Wash and set aside.

2. Peel off the garlic skin and chop the tomato roughly. Set aside.

Procedure

1. In a pan, heat 1.5 teaspoon of oil. Add urad dal, chana dal and dried red chillies. Fry until urad/chana dal is golden brown. Add shallots and garlic pods. Add salt needed for the shallots and fry until half cooked on low flame.

2. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they are mushy. Let the mixture cool down completely. Blend into a coarse paste in a blender. In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds. As they splutter, add asafoetida/hing and fresh curry leaves. Let them fry for a few seconds. Add this tempering to the chutney.

3. Serve as side for idli and dosa.

Recipe Notes

• Shallots add to the flavor of the chutney. If unavailable use two medium sized onions.
• The tomato has to be ripe and juicy.
• Adjust the number of red chillies as per spiciness needed.
• Grind this chutney coarsely and not too fine for better texture and taste.
• Store the chutney in an airtight container for upto 5 days in refrigerator.