Onion Chutney, often known as Vengaya Chutney, is a spicy, tangy South Indian condiment made by sautéing onions with garlic, dried pink chilies, tamarind, and spices, then mixing them right into a easy, flavorful paste. Usually completed with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida, this chutney is a daring, fragrant various to coconut chutney and pairs splendidly with South Indian snacks like Idli, Dosa, Rava Idli, and Medu Vada.


About Onion Chutney
This recipe of Onion Chutney is a South Indian model of constructing it. ‘Vengaya’ is the Tamil phrase for ‘onion.’ Thus, this recipe can be rightly known as Vengaya Chutney.
Made with plant-based elements, this Onion Chutney is without doubt one of the best and quickest aspect dishes you’ll be able to put together at house, and it’s naturally vegan too.
Together with onions, this Vengaya Chutney from Tamil Nadu makes use of garlic, dried pink chilies, chana dal, urad dal, asafoetida (hing), curry leaves, tamarind, salt, and oil, with the chilies lending a fantastic orangish hue to the chutney.
For the very best and most genuine taste, it’s perfect to make use of sesame oil when making this Onion Chutney. Nonetheless, if unavailable, you’ll be able to simply substitute it with sunflower oil or peanut oil.
The preparation of Vengaya Chutney is easy: first, the lentils, dried pink chilies, onions, and garlic are sautéed; then blended right into a easy paste with water as wanted; and eventually tempered with aromatics and spices earlier than serving.
Why This Recipe Works
This Onion Chutney presents a fantastic medley of flavors. Tamarind brings a refined tartness, dried pink chilies lend a touch of smokiness, garlic provides a light pungency, frivolously browned onions contribute a pure sweetness, and the sautéed lentils infuse a scrumptious earthy depth to the chutney.
If you’re questioning which number of onions works greatest for this Vengaya Chutney, you should utilize pink onions, yellow onions, white onions, pearl onions, and even shallots – all work superbly.
The colour of this Vengaya Chutney can range relying on the kind of pink chilies used. I favor utilizing Kashmiri pink chilies for his or her vibrant coloration and delicate warmth, however you may also go for Byadagi pink chilies, one other Indian selection identified for his or her wealthy coloration and mild warmth.
Bursting with flavors, this Onion Chutney pairs splendidly with South Indian tiffin snacks like rava idli, masala dosa, and uttapam. Sometimes, I additionally get pleasure from it with Poha Dosa – as you’ll be able to see within the image above.
Step-by-Step Information
Methods to make Onion Chutney
Fry Lentils & Purple Chillies
1. Warmth 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Decrease the warmth and add 1 teaspoon chana dal (husked and break up Bengal gram). Then, add ½ teaspoon urad dal (break up and husked black gram).
Tip: You should utilize sunflower oil, peanut oil, gingelly oil (oil created from uncooked sesame seeds) or any impartial oil.


2. Fry, stirring typically, till the lentils flip golden. Don’t burn them.


3. Then, add 2 to three Kashmiri dried pink chilies (damaged or halved and seeds eliminated). Stir and fry for some seconds until you see the chilies change coloration and switch aromatic.
Fry on a low warmth, in order that the chilies don’t get burnt. Kashmiri pink chilies give a pleasant coloration and should not too spicy.
You can too decide to make use of byadagi pink chilies. If you’re utilizing medium scorching or very popular pink chilies, then add much less of those.


Sauté Onions & Mix
4. Add 1 cup chopped onions and ¼ to ½ chopped garlic (1 to 2 small or medium garlic cloves). You can too use pearl onions or shallots, as an alternative of standard onions.
Purple onions, white onions or yellow onions – all work properly within the recipe.


5. Sauté onions on low to medium warmth and stir repeatedly.


6. Sauté till the onions flip gentle golden. Then, swap off the warmth and let the onions cool at room temperature.


7. Subsequent, switch your entire sautéed combination right into a mixer-grinder or a small blender. Add ¼ teaspoon dried tamarind and salt to style.
In the event you should not have dried tamarind that we simply get in India, add ⅛ teaspoon bottled or packaged tamarind sauce or as wanted.


8. Add ¼ cup water and grind elements right into a easy and high-quality chutney. Put aside for later.


Make Onion Chutney
9. Warmth 2 teaspoons oil on low flame in the identical pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and cook dinner them till they begin to crackle.


10. As soon as the mustard seeds begin crackling, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and 5 to six curry leaves.


11. Fry for just a few seconds or till the curry leaves grow to be crisp.


12. Preserve the warmth to low and add the ready onion chutney.


13. Combine it with the tempering elements.


14. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup water. I poured water to the blender jar, swirled it round and added the water into the pan.
This ensures that leftover chutney sticking on the partitions of the jar shouldn’t be wasted. You’ll be able to alter the consistency of the chutney by including much less or extra water.


15. Combine very properly and swap off the warmth. Do a style take a look at and add extra salt if wanted.


16. Serve Onion Chutney together with your favourite dosa, idli, medu vada or any pakoda varieties.


Serving Strategies
- Serve this tasty Onion Chutney with snacks like idli, Uttapam or dosa.
- Pairs superbly with rava dosa, Neer Dosa, or Set Dosa.
- Take pleasure in it with medu vada or Dal Vada.
- Unfold it inside masala dosa or Cheese Dosa or Paneer Dosa for an additional burst of taste.
- Pair it as a dip with pakoda varieties like Onion Pakoda, Potato Bajji or Paneer Pakora.
- Slather some chutney on toasted bread for a fast, flavorful snack.
- Serve it with Idiyappam (string hoppers) or Appam.
- Use as a aspect dip with Pesarattu (Moong Dal Dosa).
- Take pleasure in alongside scorching steamed rice with a drizzle of ghee for a comforting meal.
- Will be loved with chapati or paratha as a easy, satisfying unfold.
- Add as a tangy unfold inside sandwiches or wraps for a fusion twist.
Storage Strategies
Retailer any leftovers of the Onion Chutney in a coated container or an hermetic jar within the fridge for 1 to 2 days. I don’t advocate making a big batch forward, because the chutney tastes greatest when freshly ready.
At all times use a clear, dry spoon when serving to take care of freshness and keep away from contamination.
Earlier than serving, you’ll be able to let the chutney come to room temperature or heat it barely if most popular. I’d additionally not recommend freezing this chutney, as it might alter the flavour and texture.
Knowledgeable Suggestions
- Onions: This chutney could be made with several types of onions reminiscent of pink, white, yellow onions, in addition to shallots and pearl onions. Nonetheless, scallions (spring onions) should not appropriate for this recipe.
- Spiciness: Modify the warmth and pungency of the chutney by utilizing fewer pink chilies or choosing much less to medium-hot varieties. If very spicy chilies are used, the chutney can flip fairly fiery. I favor utilizing Kashmiri pink chilies, as they’re delicate and lend a beautiful orange coloration to the chutney.
- Sourness: Tamarind provides a pleasing tang to the chutney. In the event you should not have tamarind, you’ll be able to substitute it with lemon juice. Nonetheless, the flavour can be barely totally different.
- Nuts: You’ll be able to add some roasted, unsalted peanuts for further richness. Add them when the onions flip gentle golden and sauté for a minute. As soon as cooled, mix every thing with water to a easy consistency.
- Consistency: Modify the consistency of the chutney to your desire. Add much less water for a thicker chutney and extra water for a medium-thin consistency. Keep away from including an excessive amount of water, as it might dilute the flavors.
- Selection of Fats: Gingelly oil (oil created from uncooked sesame seeds) provides essentially the most genuine taste, however you may also use sunflower oil, peanut oil, or any neutral-flavored oil.
- Scaling: The recipe could be simply doubled or tripled to make a bigger batch for potlucks, events, or small gatherings.
FAQs
I take advantage of the Preethi Mixer Grinder Blue Leaf mannequin. It does a fantastic job of grinding chutneys in addition to making batter for idli, dosa, and medu vada.
Sure, you’ll be able to add roasted peanuts for further taste. They mix properly with the sautéed onions and improve the style of the chutney.
You’ll be able to refrigerate the chutney in an hermetic container for 1 to 2 days. Let it come to room temperature earlier than serving.
Tempering provides quite a lot of taste and aroma, however you’ll be able to skip it if quick on time. The chutney will nonetheless style good, although barely much less fragrant.
It isn’t really helpful to freeze onion chutney, as freezing can alter its texture and taste. It tastes greatest when freshly made or saved for a day or two within the fridge.
Sure, onion chutney could be naturally gluten-free in case you use pure, gluten-free asafoetida (hing). Examine the label to make sure there are not any wheat components.
Extra Chutney Recipes To Attempt!
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Onion Chutney Recipe (Tamil Nadu Model)
Onion Chutney or Vengaya Chutney is a spicy and tangy South Indian condiment made by sautéing onions with garlic, dried pink chilies, tamarind, and spices, then mixing them right into a easy, flavorful paste. Usually tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida, this chutney pairs completely with dosa, idli, medu vada, and uttapam, including a daring and fragrant taste to each chunk.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Prepare dinner Time 15 minutes
Whole Time 20 minutes
Forestall your display screen from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Frying lentils and pink chillies
Warmth oil in a pan. Decrease the warmth and add chana dal and urad dal.
Fry stirring frequently till the lentils flip golden. Take care that you don’t burn them.
Subsequent add the kashmiri pink chilies. Fry for some seconds till you see the chilies change coloration and grow to be fragrant.
Fry on a low warmth, in order that the chilies don’t get burnt. Kashmiri pink chilies give a pleasant coloration and don’t make the chutney spicy.
Sauteing onions
Subsequent add the chopped onions and chopped garlic.
Combine the onions and start to saute on a low to medium warmth. Carry on stirring onions whereas sauteing them.
Sauté till the onions flip a light-weight golden. Swap off the warmth and let the onions grow to be heat or quiet down at room temperature.
Switch your entire onion combination in a small blender or mixer-grinder. Add tamarind and salt as per style.
Add water and mix to a easy paste. Put aside.
Tempering Spices
Warmth in the identical pan or a tadka pan. Preserve the warmth to a low. Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
As soon as the mustard seeds start to crackle, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and curry leaves.
Fry for just a few seconds till the curry leaves grow to be crisp.
Making Onion Chutney
Preserve the warmth to a low or sim and now add the bottom onion chutney.
Combine the chutney totally with the tempered elements.
Add water. You may make this chutney barely thick or of medium consistency by including much less or extra water.
Combine very properly after which flip off the warmth.
Switch chutney to a serving bowl.
Serving Strategies
Serve Onion Chutney with idli, dosa, rava dosa, medu vada, pakoda, or as an expansion on toasted bread, sandwiches, or wraps.
- Use delicate pink chilies like Kashmiri or Byadagi for vibrant coloration and fewer warmth.
- Modify water for a thicker or thinner chutney as you favor.
- Gingelly oil (uncooked sesame oil) provides essentially the most genuine Tamil Nadu taste.
- Serve contemporary or refrigerate for as much as 1 to 2 days in an hermetic container.
- Choose to make use of small onions (shallots) for a sweeter and extra conventional taste.
- At all times sauté the lentils until golden for a deeper, nutty aroma.
- Bear in mind to chill the sautéed combination earlier than mixing to keep away from splattering.
- Use tamarind sparingly; an excessive amount of can overpower the chutney.
- Tempering enhances taste however could be skipped if in a rush.
- Mix to a easy or barely coarse texture relying on desire.
- For a no-garlic model, merely skip garlic with out changing it.
- Recipe could be scaled as much as make for extra servings.
Diet Information
Onion Chutney Recipe (Tamil Nadu Model)
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 117 Energy from Fats 81
% Day by day Worth*
Fats 9g14%
Saturated Fats 1g6%
Sodium 588mg26%
Potassium 109mg3%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 230IU5%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 29mg145%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 55mg67%
Vitamin E 3mg20%
Vitamin Okay 1µg1%
Calcium 39mg4%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 306µg77%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 11mg3%
Phosphorus 27mg3%
Zinc 1mg7%
* P.c Day by day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.
Onion Chutney recipe from the weblog archives was first printed on July 2016.