This fiery red chilli chutney recipe is amma’s specialty for specific breakfast dishes like adai, ragi dosa, rava idli, or even wheat dosa and uthappam. This chutney needs no coconut and that itself makes it super quick to make. The level of spice can be adjusted to taste, of course, but we make it extra hot and a little amount of chutney goes a long way. What this also means is that amma makes another side dish or coconut chutney to go along with this red chutney and the main dish.
Amma and I made this chutney together the last time I was in Kottayam. She was a tad too generous with the chillies and my brother thought it’s onion tomato chutney and served himself a generous spoonful. The ensuing burning tongue and watering eyes was fun to watch 😉
Red Chilli Chutney RecipeA lot of you asked me for the recipe of red chutney when I posted the Adai Dosa recipe. I waited to go back and make it with amma again before sharing it, so here goes.
Red Chilli Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of peeled and sliced shallots chinna vengayam, ulli
- 10-12 dry red chillies adjust to taste
- 1 pinch of hing perungayam, kayam, asafoetida
- 1 small piece of tamarind or 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1-2 tsp of salt adjust to tate
- 2 tsp of oil
- 1 clove of garlic
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add the chillies. Keeping flame very low, fry for a min until they start to glisten and emit a nice aroma of roasted chillies
- Remove the chillies and add the sliced shallots to the same pan. Fry until golden.
- Add the hing, garlic, and salt. Stir through and switch off the flame.
- Add the tamarind piece at the end.
- Cool completely and grind with the chillies to a smooth paste.
Notes
The garlic is optional but recommended
You can store this red chilli chutney in the fridge for up to 2 days
Step by Step Pictures for Making Red Chilli Chutney
1. Heat oil and fry chillies for 2-3 mins until they glisten. Keep flame low. Once done, remove and set aside.
2. Add shallots to the same pan and fry until golden.
3. Add hing, salt, and garlic and stir through to combine.
4. Turn off flame and add the tamarind.
5. Cool completely and grind with the red chillies to a smooth paste.
Serve with some coconut oil or gingelly oil poured over the chutney. This is optional but helps to cut down the heat and add some extra flavour.
Perfect feast for andhrawala/wali eyes & taste buds????
haha thanks vijy
OMG!! My Perima used to make this chutney back in Madras but I never found out the recipe from her. When I made this, I had an awesome eureka moment. You made this girl very happy 🙂
Thanks for this recipe Nags..Totally loved it.. Posted here.. .http://arusuvai-kurippu.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/red-chilli-chutney-onion-chilli-chutney.html.. Do visit my blog and follow me on FB.. happy t follow you..
Drool………. Droool………….. This is too tempting.
Hi Nagalakshmi, thank u for helping me out with your response…my MIL makes the chutney the same way, but I do the quicker way..just put chilly powder into the oil and use onions because I am very impatient with shallots…but I have to admit roasted whole chilies and shallots taste the best and now I am tempted to try your way…love your first click.
Droolworthy!
This is good…My baby loves tomato onion chutney and guess this is another chutney for her…and love the fact that I don't have to grind coconut to feed her idli or dosas..
Mags, the pics look fiery and tasty, but is there any trick to peel the shallots? I mean, isn't it difficult to peel so many in 1 go??
good question. there's an easy and quick way to peel shallots or chinna vengayam. soak the required amount in some water for 30 mins. The skin will become soggy and slide off easily if you slide it with your fingertips. just cut the ends with the roots and the rest will come off nicely 🙂 try it!
Oh dear, I just *have to* make this chutney and I have red onions… I guess, I will compromise this one time.