Chettinad Vengaya Chutney

Name: Chettinad Vengaya Chutney
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2-3 servings
Cuisine: Chettinad
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil; 15 Shallot, small (or pearl onions); 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped; 2 Red Chili, dried; 1 teaspoon tamarind paste; 0.5 teaspoon Mustard Seed; 0.5 teaspoon urad dal; 0.5 teaspoon Cumin, seeds; 0.25 teaspoon asafoetida; 1 pinch turmeric powder; salt, to taste; 1 sprig Curry Leaf

Veg Vegan

Shallot chutney made by cooking small pearl onions (vengayam) down with dried red chilli and tamarind into a thick, deep-red condiment — sweeter from the shallots, sharper from the dried chilli, the primary chutney for idli, dosai, and kuzhi paniyaram.

Cuisines

Chettinad

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Total: 30 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

	2 tablespoons	Oil
	15	Shallot , small (or pearl onions)
	3 cloves	Garlic , finely chopped
	2	Red Chili , dried
	1 teaspoon	Tamarind paste
	0.5 teaspoon	Mustard Seed
	0.5 teaspoon	Urad dal
	0.5 teaspoon	Cumin , seeds
	0.25 teaspoon	Asafoetida
	1 pinch	Turmeric powder
	—	Salt , to taste
	1 sprig	Curry Leaf

Instructions

1 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat.
2 Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3 Add urad dal, cumin seeds, and asafoetida. Sauté until the dal turns golden brown.
4 Add dried red chilies and sauté for a few seconds.
5 Add shallots and garlic, and sauté until the shallots become translucent.
6 Add turmeric powder and salt, and mix well.
7 Add tamarind paste and sauté for another minute.
8 Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.
9 Transfer the mixture to a blender, add a little water, and blend to a smooth paste.
10 In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and add curry leaves.
11 Pour the blended chutney back into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
12 Adjust salt to taste and remove from heat.

Tips

For a smokier flavor, roast the shallots and garlic until they are slightly charred before blending.