Learn how to make a red chutney with Onion and Tomatoes using no coconut. This Onion Tomato Chutney is spicy, mildly sweet, and is a great side dish for Idli, especially Rava Idli, and Dosa.
I love my chutneys be it the chutneys using coconut or the ones without. This Onion Tomato Chutney Recipe is usually my quick-fix chutney that uses no coconut which means it doesn’t require me to defrost the coconut and it goes especially well with idli and dosa. The chutney is mildly sweet because of the roasted onions and you can turn up the heat as much as you want or keep it low and mild, entirely up to you.
This chutney does require a little bit of frying and roasting but it’s more of the passive kind so you can go about steaming your idlis or making your dosas while the onions and tomatoes do their thing and get to know each other.
You can also try a bunch of variations of the same recipe, like omit the tomatoes and make it a 100% Onion Chutney. While this tastes great too, it means you need to peel and chop more onions to serve the same number of people and let’s face it, chopping a tomato is way easier. And anyway, this chutney is as tasty, if not more, than the plain Onion Chutney.
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PinDescription
A simple chutney recipe with onions and tomatoes. Goes great with idli, dosa, and upma
Ingredients
2 large onions, sliced
1 ripe tomato, cubed
2–3 dry red chillies (adjust to taste)
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp of hing (perungaayam, asafoetida)
Salt to taste
2 tsp of oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add the sliced onions. Fry until light golden brown and soft. Add the red chillies, garlic, and hing and fry for a while longer until the garlic doesn’t smell raw anymore.
- Add the chopped tomato and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and the mixture is moist. Remove from the stove and set aside to cool.
- Grind without adding water to a smooth paste.
Notes
- Use some tamarind if the tomato is not very sour
- You can make this chutney with just onions and omit the tomatoes
- Add red chilli powder instead of dry red chillies, works well either way
How to Make Onion Tomato Chutney Step by Step
1. Heat the oil and add the sliced onions. Fry until light golden brown and soft. Add the red chillies, garlic, and hing and fry for a while longer until the garlic doesn’t smell raw anymore.
2. Add the chopped tomato and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and the mixture is moist. Remove from the stove and set aside to cool.
3. Grind without adding water to a smooth paste.
Done! Your Onion Tomato Chutney is now ready to serve. You can temper it in some oil+mustard seeds but why bother. This chutney tastes delicious as it is without any spices or extra oil. Once you’ve tried this chutney with rava idli, there’s really no going back to other chutneys.
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| Onion Tomato Chutney with Soft Idlis |
Prashanth Palaniswamy says
October 8, 2017 at 7:39 amI’m a bachelor living in the US, coconuts are expensive here, so was looking for a recipe without them. I tried this exactly as you had told, it was very simple and it came out very well. Thank you, mam 🙂
nags says
November 13, 2017 at 12:22 pmglad you liked it!
Michelle says
July 24, 2017 at 12:16 pmLove ur recipes and clear instructions ! Well done!
nags says
November 14, 2017 at 10:02 amthanks Michelle!
Athira says
February 3, 2017 at 10:55 pmHi there, I’m a beginner in the kitchen and your new fan! Love that your instructions are crisp and well supplemented with photos. I’m going to be referring to your blog quite frequently. 🙂
nags says
February 7, 2017 at 6:07 pmthank you!
Mimi says
July 28, 2016 at 1:02 pmOh, I’ve been searching for this recipe for ages. A friend just made this recipe for breakfast and oh, this tastes exactly like what I’d be served in the small dosa places in Chennai. Yum!
nags says
August 2, 2016 at 11:00 amthank you mimi 🙂
CHITRA says
April 11, 2013 at 5:28 pmHi nags ,
I tried this chutney and posted in my blog too. It was delicious. Thanks 🙂 Here is the link
http://www.chitrasfoodbook.com/2013/04/onion-tomato-chutney-recipe-for-idli.html
Anonymous says
March 13, 2013 at 2:43 amMy favorite Indian place makes onion chutney to die for. Sometimes I ask for an extra container and take it home because honestly it's a condiment that I use on almost EVERYTHING. It's just as amazing with meat and fish as it is with rice and bread. I also love eating it with sliced avocado! Sooooo good. I knew the recipe had to be simple but I knew there was a spice or two I was ignorant of – now I know. The only difference is my local restaurant puts a little cilantro in it but I'm sure this is the base recipe! Thanks, can't wait to try it tomorrow after I go to the supermarket.
daisy says
February 28, 2013 at 9:00 ami love your recipe.its so simple and easy to prepare.thanks a lot
singh anjali says
February 22, 2013 at 5:12 amI have recently started food blogging.
anjalisfoodkaleidoscope
thats my blog.I would really appreciate views form talented food bloggers like you. Love all your recipes and the photographs are too good.Infact you have inspired me a lot to improve my snaps.Thank you
Anu Nandu says
February 14, 2013 at 9:17 pmChutney looks sexy. And the wooden base sexier. Love how you turn simple every day food into exotic dishes!
sinsationscakes says
February 6, 2013 at 9:26 amOoooh! That look droolicious. How did you get that brilliant red colour?
Nagalakshmi V says
February 6, 2013 at 2:07 pmthe first picture is slightly deceptive because of the way the light is falling on the chutney. the second and last pic are closer to the colour. you get it due to the tomato and browning of the onions before grinding 🙂
veena says
February 6, 2013 at 4:51 amI love Tomato Chutney ..Urs looks so tempting ..
Sharmilee! :) says
February 5, 2013 at 10:59 amLove the fiery red tomato chutney, very flavourful and tempting it looks!
Maria says
February 5, 2013 at 7:29 amChutney is so colorful and flavorful nice click 🙂
John says
February 5, 2013 at 2:41 amCan't wait to try this. I love chutneys (& chilies). Thanks,
John
Revathi says
February 5, 2013 at 2:19 amnice color …awesome clicks…when your free please have a look into my space..thanks
divya says
February 4, 2013 at 4:17 pmOMG your pics are great and the recipe is so good
WeR SAHM says
February 4, 2013 at 3:46 pmLove the color…looks yummy..
SMN says
February 4, 2013 at 2:10 pmthat looks spicy and yummy
dassana says
February 4, 2013 at 12:46 pmhave been wanting to make the onion tomato chutney from a long time. i keep on postponing and coconut chutney always wins over. loved the color of the chutney as well as the colors of the wooden board.
Asiya Omar says
February 4, 2013 at 12:14 pmSimply superb.
Divya Kudua says
February 4, 2013 at 9:22 amLove the pictures.I like the onion chutney-idli combo too!
Veena Theagarajan says
February 4, 2013 at 9:12 amI always do this version as I am not a big fan of Coconut.. Loos great. Love the color
Princy Vinoth says
February 4, 2013 at 9:03 amBeautiful chutney this is how i make it too on days im lazy to scrap coconut!
Bharathy says
February 4, 2013 at 8:56 amThanks a bunch for the entry, sis 🙂 I am so excited to host your entry for the contest 🙂
I made this same tomato onion chutney for achu for breakfast. still have some reserve for night's adai 🙂
Simple and neat recipe and pictures! 🙂
APARNARAJESHKUMAR says
February 4, 2013 at 8:14 amperfect picture 🙂 our family all time favourite ! adding ginger is also one of the option !
RAKS KITCHEN says
February 4, 2013 at 8:09 amLove it this way. Gives out full flavors and tangy too.
Chhavi Vatwani says
February 4, 2013 at 8:01 amI LOVE this chutney like hell. My friends and family prefer the white coconut chutney over it, but me – I'm more of a spice freak! This is fabulous! Thanks for doing this. Warm hugs to you for this!! xoxo
Rafeeda A. Raheem says
February 4, 2013 at 7:29 amthis chutney looks as good as what we get in Aryaas here… on my to-do list!!!