Are you fans of South Indian Chutney Varieties? If yes, then this recipe will knock your socks off, I guarantee! The Tomato Chutney or the South Indian Thakkali Chutney is deliciously tangy, spicy and mildly sweet due to the pearl onions used.

Tomato Chutney or Thakkali Chutney makes a perfect side dish or accompaniment to piping hot Soft Idli, Kollu Idli (Horsegram Idli), Onion Uttapam, Adai and Pidi Kozhukattai. Hell, I would go ahead and pair this for my lunch with some roti, parathas and sabzi too.

It is one of the most frequently made chutney at home especially when friends visit. The Tomato Chutney is loved by Narayan mostly with his favourite bowl of piping hot Ven Pongal.

Some other South Indian Chutney Varieties on the blog are Green Tomato Chutney or Pachai Thakkai Chutney and Inji Chutney or Ginger Chutney.

The Tomato Chutney recipe shared here is Vegan, Contains No Coconut, has basic ingredients from your pantry and refrigerator. Shelf life of this chutney is a week when stored in refrigerator. The recipe can be made gluten free, if you skip the asafoetida or hing.

For this particular recipe of Tomato Chutney, I have used home grown Tomatoes. The feeling of kitchen garden to table is certainly satisfying. Mumbai doesn’t offer a lot of open spaces but we make do with the balcony space and grow some basic things like chillies, tomatoes etc in small pots.

The Tomatoes are bright red in colour and did most of the part when it came to the chutney colour. Additionally, I have also used 2 variety of red chillies for this recipe – Guntur Red Chillies for the spice and a couple of Kashmiri Red chillies for the colour. You can skip Guntur Red chillies entirely, if you prefer less spicy chutney at home.

I have used pearl onions, Chinna Vengayam in Tamil or Madras Onions for this recipe since I love how they lend their mild sweetness to the chutney. You can use red onions or any variety that is available in your pantry.

My recipe version does not include Garlic. Growing up, my parents did not include garlic in their food like typical Palakkad Iyers. You may, however, add couple of cloves of garlic and enjoy the chutney too!

Like I have mentioned above, the Chutney recipe is Vegan. Since I have added asafoetida or hing for the tempering, the recipe is not Gluten Free. You can skip hing for Gluten Free Recipe.

Now that we know how simple it is to make a batch of this deliciously lipsmacking chutney, Let us look at the easy recipe and try some for the family, shall we?

Step by Step Tomato Chutney or Thakkali Chutney Recipe

Peel the skin of 30 odd pearl onions or Madras onions. Approximately 1 heaped 200 ml cup.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and keep aside.

Heat 1 tblsp oil in a pan add the onions and saute for a few seconds.

Now add red chillies and saute until the onions have slightly caramelized.

To this, add the tomatoes and allow it to cook on medium heat.

Add salt to taste, turmeric powder and additional 1/2 tsp of Kashmiri Red Chilli powder for the gorgeous colour.

Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and there is no raw smell.

Switch off the flame. Cool the mixture and then grind in a mixer grinder (without any water) until thick and creamy as shown below.

Prepare for the tadka or tempering by heating a small pan. Add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, pondy chillies or any variety you use. Throw in some curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida or hing. Now pour this tempering over the chutney and serve immediately.

Tomato Chutney / Thakkali Chutney

Vidya Narayan

Tomato Chutney or South Indian Thakkali Chutney is deliciously tangy, spicy and mildly sweet due to the pearl onions used. It is your perfect side dish or accompaniment to piping hot Soft Idli, Kollu Idli (Horsegram Idli), Onion Uttapam, Adai and Pidi Kozhukattai.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 8 people

Equipment

• Small Pan or Kadhai
• Mixer Grinder
• Tempering Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Pearl Onions / Madras Onions or Chinna Vengayam Approximately 30 nos. of pearl onions used (1 cup is 200 ml measurement)
• 5 nos Tomatoes (Large)
• 1 tbsp Oil Sesame or Gingelly Oil used here.
• 5 nos Dry Whole Red Chillies I have used a combination of Guntur Red Chillies and Kashmiri Red chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder or Haldi
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder I have added for the colour. You may skip or add more if required.
• salt to taste
• FOR TEMPERING
• 2 tsp Oil Sesame or gingelly oil
• 2-3 nos. Whole Red Chillies I have used Pondy Chillies
• 1 tsp Urad Dal
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds or Rai
• 1 sprig Curry Leaves
• 1 pinch Asafoetida or Hing

Instructions

 

• Peel the skin of 30 odd pearl onions or Madras onions. Approximately 1 heaped 200 ml cup.
• Roughly chop the tomatoes and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add the onions and saute for a few seconds.
• Now add red chillies and saute until the onions have slightly caramelized
• To this, add the tomatoes and allow it to cook on medium heat.
• Add salt to taste, turmeric powder and additional 1/2 tsp of Kashmiri Red Chilli
  powder for the gorgeous colour.
• Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and there is no raw smell
• Switch off the flame. Cool the mixture and then grind in a mixer grinder (without any
  water) until thick and creamy as shown below
• Prepare for the tadka or tempering by heating a small pan. Add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, pondy chillies or any variety you use. Throw in some curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida or hing.
• Now pour this tempering over the chutney and serve immediately.

Notes

This chutney stays fresh for a week in the refrigerator. 

By all means, add garlic to this recipe. Say 5 cloves to the above recipe would be ideal. Add it while sauteing the pearl onions. 

Traditionally this chutney is made with sesame or gingelly oil, like I have used. It enhances the taste of the chutney especially when you serve it with idlis. If you do not have sesame oil in your pantry, use any vegetable oil. 

The proportions of the recipe can serve 8 people (considering 2 tbsp each person). Consumption of chutney depends from person to person. This is a rough calculation. 

Keyword No coconut Chutney, Side Dish for Idli, spicy red chutney, Thakkali Chutney, Tomato Chutney

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Vidya Narayan