5 from 1 vote

Dosa chutney can be made from fresh coconut, curry leaves, green chilies, and other ingredients or can be a combination of onion, tomato, curry leaves, and other ingredients. Each of these chutneys is tempered to perfection to render the rich taste and flavor. Here are the simple steps to make these common dosa chutneys at home.

Table of Contents

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Dosa chutney can be of different types based on the ingredients used to make them. However, the coconut chutney and onion-tomato chutney are the two most common and popular variations.
Storing and refrigerating the chutney in a clean airtight container will help preserve its freshness.

Apart from traditional dosas, this chutney can be paired with idlis, vadas, uttapam, and even with a variety of snack items.
Dosa chutney typically offers a fresh and creamy or a tangy and zesty taste, depending on its type.
Other chutneys like mint chutney, peanut chutney, tamarind chutney, coriander chutney, or a tomato and garlic combo will offer a somewhat similar taste as dosa chutney.

I got this recipe from a mother I met at a weekend chess tournament. While our sons played, we exchanged food over the chessboard. She had packed this for her son’s lunch. I asked for the recipe, and she explained every step. I made it the next day. My husband said it was clever, and my sons called it “checkmate taste.”

Now, it’s our strategy-day dish. That afternoon reminded me that even in silence and focus, food brings bonding—and smart meals often come from the sharpest minds sitting beside the game.

How to Cook Dosa Chutney? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

For Dosa Coconut Chutney:

Step 1: Take a coconut, break the hard shell, and peel the brown skin with a peeler. Cut it into small pieces.

(Pro tip: To break the coconut, keep striking the shell with a hard substance such as a knife. You may also keep it in the freezer for about 20 minutes or heat it on your gas stove. It will come off easily).

Step 2: Take a grinder and put 1 cup of fresh coconut, cut into small slices.

Step 3: Now add about 25 pieces of fresh curry leaves to the grinder.

(Pro tip: You may skip adding the curry leaves to the chutney if you do not have it. However, adding them will augment its taste and flavor).

Step 4: Follow it with 2 pieces of fresh green chilies of standard size.

Step 5: Then add 1 piece of 1-inch size ginger, deskinned and sliced.

Step 6: Follow it with 2 tbsp of roasted split chickpeas (chana dal) to the content in the grinder.

Step 7: Now take a frying pan and heat it on a low flame on your gas stove. Pour 2 cups of milk into it.

Step 8: Warm the milk just a bit. Put your finger to feel the warmth.

(Pro tip: Use milk that you boiled before. Do not boil the milk now).

Step 9: Pour the warm milk into the grinder.

(Pro tip: If you do not like milk, you can use normal water or the water of the coconut used in this recipe. However, adding milk adds to the color and taste of the chutney).

Step 10: Grind everything into a fine paste.

Step 11: Transfer the paste into a bowl.

Step 12: Now add ½ tsp of salt to the paste. Mix it nicely.

Step 13: Now, to make the tadka for the coconut chutney, take a frying pan and heat 1 tbsp of oil.

(Pro tip: You can use any oil type but using mustard oil is better for added flavor and taste in the chutney).

Step 14: Now add 1 tsp of black gram lentils (urad dal), split and deskinned.

Step 15: Follow it with 1 tsp of mustard seeds.

Step 16: Finally add 2 medium-sized pieces of dry red chilies.

Step 17: Stir the ingredients continuously for some time so that the urad dal is cooked nicely.

Step 18: Keep an eye on the slight change in the color of the urad dal.

Step 19: Now, add about 10 to 12 fresh curry leaves into the frying pan.

Step 20: Stir for some more time so that the curry leaves are cooked nicely and reduced.

Step 21: Transfer this tadka immediately to the bowl containing the coconut chutney paste.

Step 22: Use a spoon to mix them or spread them. One of your dosa coconut chutneys is now ready.

For Dosa Onion Tomato Chutney:

Step 1: Take two medium-sized fresh onions deskin them and slice them roughly. Also, take about 6 fresh and red tomatoes and chop them roughly into small pieces.

Step 2: Now, when you are done with the cutting, take a wok or a frying pan and heat it on a high flame on your gas stove. When it is hot enough, add 1 tbsp of oil in it. You can use any type of oil you prefer.

Step 3: Now add 3 pieces of dry Kashmiri red chilies. Tear each of them in half. If you want, you can remove the seeds.

Step 4: Then add 5 fresh cloves of garlic, deskinned and chopped roughly, to the wok.

Step 5: Now add a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger to the content, deskinned and chopped roughly.

Step 6: Follow it with 1 tsp of mustard seeds.

(Pro tip: You may skip adding the mustard seeds at this stage if you want to store the onion-tomato chutney for a couple of days).

Step 7: Also add 10 to 12 pieces of fresh curry leaves to the content.

Step 8: Stir the ingredients to cook the ginger and garlic a bit.

Step 9: Now add 1 cup of the sliced onion to the ingredient in the wok.

Step 10: Stir and cook the onion on a medium flame for about 2 to 3 minutes until they turn translucent.

(Pro tip: It is crucial to cook the onion nicely. It will remove the raw taste and smell of the onion).

Step 11: At this stage, add 2 cups of the roughly cut tomatoes to the content in the wok.

Step 12: Also add ½ tsp of table salt to it.

Step 13: Then add 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder to it.

Step 14: Now stir and mix everything nicely for about 3 to 4 minutes. Now, cover them to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes more on a high flame.

Step 15: While it does, take a frying pan, heat it, and add about ½ tbsp of oil to it.

Step 16: Now put 2 tbsp of roasted split chickpeas (chana dal) dal into the pan.

(Pro tip: If you do not have roasted chana dal, you can use roasted peanuts as an alternative to it).

Step 17: Stir them to cook on a medium flame until you notice a slight change in the color of the roasted split chickpeas.

Step 18: Now, remove the cover from the wok to see how the onion-tomato is cooked. You will notice the color of the content has changed significantly and has cooked nicely to become soft and succulent. Add the roasted chana dal to it.

(Pro tip: You may also add the roasted split chickpeas (chana dal) when you add ginger and garlic. This will ensure better cooking of the dal).

Step 19: Mix everything and cook them for about 5 minutes more.

Step 20: When it is done, turn off the flame of your gas stove and let the ingredients cool for some time.

Step 21: Take a grinder.

(Pro tip: Take a different grinder or wash the one you used before to make the coconut chutney for the distinct flavor of onion-tomato chutney).

Step 22: Transfer the content to it.

Step 23: Blend them nicely to get a fine and smooth paste. Transfer it into a bowl as well.

(Pro tip: Do not add any more water to it. If you do so, your chutney will be spoilt very soon).

Step 24: For the tadka, take a frying pan, heat it on a high flame, and add 1 tbsp of oil to it.

Step 25: When the oil is hot enough, add 1 tsp of split and deskinned black gram lentils (urad dal) and 1 tsp of roasted split chickpeas (chana dal) to it.