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Coconut Chutney

Serves 4
10 mins
120 Kcal
Coconut chutney is a traditional South Indian sauce made fresh from tender coconut. It has a refreshing creamy, mild, slightly tangy flavour, which goes wonderfully well with the dishes. It almost accompanies some famous South Indian foods: idli, dosa, vada, and uttapam- whose very light yet delicious coconut flavour completes the taste experience. This chutney base ingredient will be grated fresh coconut, providing this chutney with a smooth paste texture and a slightly sweet undertone. Sweetness is to be balanced out with some heat from the green chillies. Finally, a little tamarind or lime juice is added to give a lovely tangy taste. Roasted chana dal or fried urad dal (black gram) is occasionally added for nutty flavours and to thicken the chutney. Ginger or garlic may be added to give another dimension of flavour. Now that the ingredients are ground into a coarse or smooth paste, the chutney is tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing) in hot oil. That adds not just to the taste but also aromatic elements to truly enhance the appeal of the chutney. Coconut chutney can be prepared quickly and adapted to personal preferences by increasing or decreasing the spice content or adding ingredients such as mint, coriander leaves, or raw mango. It's a healthy and nutritious dip in the form of high fibre, good fats, and all other essential nutrients drawn from coconut. Coconut chutney is simple yet utterly flavourful, bringing a perfect combination of creaminess, heat, and acidity to South Indian dishes. Its freshness and versatility make it a household favourite in Indian homes and a must-try for anyone into Indian cuisine. Let's try out the ccoconut chutney recipe.

Ingredients required for Coconut Chutney

  1. 1 cup grated coconut
  2. 2-3 green chilli
  3. 1/4 cup gram
  4. 1 pc tamarind
  5. Salt
  6. 1 tbsp oil
  7. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  8. 1/2 tsp urad dal
  9. 1-2 dried red chilli

Cooking steps for Coconut Chutney

  1. 1
    Start with grating 1 cup of fresh coconut. Fresh coconut will give the best taste and texture to this recipe of coconut chutney.
  2. 2
    Thaw the frozen grated coconut at room temperature if you use it before you use it. Set aside the grated coconut in a bowl.
  3. 3
    Add 2–3 Green chillies and adjust according to your heat preference; 1/4 cup roasted gram (pottukadalai); a small piece of tamarind; and a pinch of salt to taste.
  4. 4
    If you do not have tamarind, you can add a Tsp of lemon juice for tang.
  5. 5
    Add grated coconut, green chillies, roasted gram, tamarind, and a pinch of salt in the mixer grinder. Now, start blending the mixture into a smooth paste. You may add water in small quantities to smooth the grinding process. The amount of water depends on how thick or thin you want your chutney.
  6. 6
    Blend it until the chutney becomes smooth.
  7. 7
    Turn off the grinder and check if it is too thick. If it is a bit too thick, then add a little water, mix, and make sure you do not have any lumps or that it pours.
  8. 8
    Taste the chutney, and add the salt if needed.
  9. 9
    Once the chutney is as thick or smooth as you like, pour it into a serving bowl. Leave it alone and go about tempering it, which will add additional aromas from its ingredients.
  10. 10
    Heat one tablespoon of oil (coconut or vegetable oil works well) in a small pan over medium heat to temper the mixture. The coconut oil will make this chutney taste like coconut. It's a great neutral flavour oil.
  11. 11
    Add 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds to the oil once it is hot and allow it to splutter. The sputtering sound signals that the seeds are releasing their flavour into the oil, which is indispensable for tempering.
  12. 12
    Then add 1/2 teaspoon urad dal (split black gram) to the pan. Stir until the dal begins to take a light golden colour. Then, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) to the oil. Hing imparts a spicy, earthy and very aromatic flavour that is typical of many South Indian preparations.
  13. 13
    Add 1–2 dried red chillies to the tempering. If you like a lot of heat, you can break the chillies in half and fry them for a few seconds until they darken.
  14. 14
    Finally, fresh curry leaves are tossed into the pan and saut ed for 2 seconds. Be cautious when adding curry leaves as they splatter when added to hot oil.
  15. 15
    Once the tempering is ready, immediately pour it over the prepared coconut chutney and mix it evenly through the chutney with a spoon. This final touch gives the aromatic taste of mustard seeds, urad dal, dried red chillies, and curry leaves to the chutney, so it turns out delicious.
  16. 16
    Your coconut chutney recipe is now ready for use. It pairs wonderfully well with idli, dosa, or any other South Indian favourite snack you prefer. Chutney leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a few days; however, it always tastes best when freshly prepared.

Shop Ingredients

Salt
27
1
21
1
22
1
50
1
107
1
56
1
99
1
47
1
76
1
75
1
Dried Red Chilli (1-2)
42
1
56
1
56
1
107
1
62
1
131
1
193
1
121
1
81
1
101
1
Tamarind (1 pc)
128
1
186
1
152
1
80
1
95
1
140
1
136
1
240
1
248
1
281
1
Urad Dal (1/2 Tsp)
159
1
98
1
110
1
230
1
149
1
88
1
114
1
177
1
107
1
86
1
Grated Coconut (1 cup)
50
1
Gram (1/4 cup)
85
1
72
1
42
1
155
1
141
1
86
1
90
1
81
1
75
1
70
1
Green Chilli (2-3)
25
1
Mustard Seeds (1/2 Tsp)
22
1
33
1
26
1
32
1
35
1
19
1
25
1
25
1
50
1
41
1
Oil (1 Tbsp)
175
1
172
1
161
1
137
1
148
1
150
1
291
1
141
1
730
1
241
1

FAQs

How long can coconut chutney be stored?

Coconut chutney should preferably be consumed fresh. The flavour and texture will be lost over time, so the longer it sits, the worse. But if you do have some leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 1–2 days. However, this depends on how soon you refrigerate it after preparation to prevent spoilage. Occasionally, you will find that it has thickened somewhat when stored for a while. Thin out with a bit of water and mix well. Frozen coconut chutney is best avoided since the freezing can significantly alter the taste, making it grainy.

Can I make coconut chutney if I do not have access to fresh coconut?

You can make coconut chutney even without fresh coconut. Frozen grated coconut, a convenient substitute, is now available in most supermarkets. All you need to do is thaw it at room temperature before you use it for your recipe. When you do not have fresh or frozen coconut, desiccated or dry coconut may be used instead. However, you need to soak the desiccated coconut in warm water for at least 10 to 15 minutes to soften it before using it in your recipe. Note that fresh coconut is the best for the preparation of coconut chutney, flavourwise and texture-wise, but these alternatives can produce palatable chutney too.

Can other ingredients be added while making the coconut chutney as per my taste?

Absolutely. Coconut chutney is quite versatile, and you can add or subtract spices and herbs as per your requirement. For example, adding herbs like mint or coriander leaves imparts a refreshing flavour to the chutney. Finally, add a small quantity of ginger and garlic to give the chutney a deep, spicy flavour. If sourness is your priority, try using more tamarind or replace the tamarind entirely with lemon juice. There are yoghurt-based variations that make the chutney thicker and slightly more sour. Experimentation and personalisation to taste are encouraged.