Equipment
Ingredients
Chutney Base
- 400 g tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 100 g onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic, peeled
- 3 dried red chilies
- 15 g urad dal
- 15 g chana dal
- 5 g tamarind paste
- 5 g salt
- 15 ml vegetable oil
Tempering (Tadka)
- 5 ml vegetable oil
- 3 g mustard seeds
- 2 g urad dal
- 10 curry leaves, fresh
- 1 g asafoetida
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 46 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 198 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 148 mg
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 26 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 10 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 15ml of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add the 15g urad dal, 15g chana dal, and dried red chilies to the pan. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the lentils turn golden brown and aromatic.
Add the chopped onions and garlic cloves. Sauté for 4 minutes until the onions turn translucent and soften.
Add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Sauté for 8 minutes until the tomatoes break down completely and turn mushy.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to rest and cool to room temperature.
Transfer the cooled mixture and tamarind paste (if using) into a blender. Blend until a smooth paste is formed, adding a few drops of water only if absolutely necessary.
Transfer the blended chutney to a serving bowl.
For the tempering, heat the remaining 5ml of oil in a small tempering pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds to the hot oil and allow them to crackle and pop.
Immediately add the 2g urad dal, fresh curry leaves, and asafoetida. Sauté for 30 seconds until the dal is golden and the curry leaves become crisp.
Pour the hot tempering mixture directly over the blended chutney and mix well before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always allow the cooked mixture to cool completely before blending. Blending hot liquids can cause pressure buildup and dangerous splatters.
- The roasted chana and urad dal act as natural thickeners and impart a beautiful nutty flavor to the final dish. Do not skip roasting them.
- For a brighter red color, use Kashmiri dried red chilies, which provide vibrant pigment with a much milder heat.
- Standard asafoetida (hing) often contains wheat flour to prevent clumping. If you need this recipe to be strictly gluten-free, ensure you use a certified gluten-free pure asafoetida resin.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight glass container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the final tempering. Add fresh tempering after thawing.
Troubleshooting
Chutney is too watery or loose
Cause: Tomatoes were not cooked down enough, or too much water was added during blending
Fix: Transfer the blended chutney back to a pan and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes to evaporate excess moisture
Prevention: Cook tomatoes until the moisture significantly evaporates before cooling and blending
Chutney tastes overly sour
Cause: Tomatoes were too acidic or too much tamarind was used
Fix: Stir in a tiny pinch of sugar or jaggery to balance the acidity
Prevention: Taste your tomatoes before cooking; if they are very tart, omit the tamarind completely
Cultural Context
Thakkali (Tomato) Chutney is a beloved staple across South Indian households. It is traditionally served alongside breakfast classics like idli, dosa, uthappam, and vada. The final step of adding the 'tadka' or tempering is a quintessential Indian culinary technique known as 'chhaunk', which blooms the essential oils of the spices into the fat, acting as a crucial flavor delivery system.
