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A combination of fresh radish, chana dal, urad dal, and other ingredients are required to make Radish chutney. Here is an easy step-by-step guide to make radish chutney at home.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Radish chutney is a versatile condiment that will elevate dining experience.

Prolong its shelf life by storing the chutney in an airtight container in a fridge.
Serve the chutney with South Indian dishes, stuffed parathas, pakoras or fritters, sandwiches or wraps, steamed rice and grilled vegetables, chaat or samosas.
Radish chutney offers an earthy and tangy taste with a slightly sweet undertone.

Try Beetroot chutney, bottle gourd chutney, and carrot chutney for a different taste experience.

I found this recipe from a forgotten voice note my friend had sent years ago. She had made it for her family, and her excitement was infectious. I saved the message but never got around to it until recently. One evening, while cleaning my phone, I played the voice note again and decided to finally try it. Her instructions were vivid and emotional, and the food turned out perfect. Every time I make it, I feel that my friend is beside me in the kitchen, appreciating every move and every effort I make.

How to Make Radish Chutney? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Take a frying pan or wok and heat it on a low to medium flame on your gas stove. When the pan is hot enough, put 2 tsp of white oil in it. When the oil heats up, put 1 tsp of split chickpeas (chana dal), 1 tsp of split black gram lentils (urad dal), and 1 tbsp of peanuts in it. Stir them continuously for about a minute or two until the ingredients start to change color.

(Pro tip: You can use any type of white oil you use at home to make this chutney. Stir the ingredients continuously so that they are fried evenly and do not get burnt in the process).

Step 2: When they do, add 5 deskinned garlic cloves, 10 to 12 pieces of fresh curry leaves, and 5 to 6 pieces of dry red chilies without their stalk in them. Stir them and cook them for a minute or two. Now, add 1 medium-sized, finely chopped onion to it.

(Pro tip: If you do not have dry red chilies at home, you can use 1 tsp of dry red chili powder as an alternative. Increase the amount or number of dry red chili powder or whole chilies if you want your chutney to be spicy or decrease them according to your preference.)

Step 3: Stir the ingredients for another couple of minutes until the onions turn translucent and you notice a slight change in the color of the other ingredients in the frying pan. At this point, put 1 piece of radish of medium size, cut into small round pieces, to the content in the frying pan. Stir them for another 4 to 5 minutes to fry the pieces of radish nicely.

(Pro tip: Make sure you wash the radish nicely before cutting them into small pieces. This will remove any mud that may be in it).

Step 4: When the radish pieces are somewhat soft and tender, add 1 piece of fresh ripe tomato cut into fine thin slices. Also, add about 1 tsp of regular table salt to the ingredients at this point.

Step 5: Stir them to mix the salt with the pieces of tomato, radish, and other ingredients in the frying pan. Cover the pan and let them cook for another 5 minutes or so until the radish pieces become softer and change color.

Step 6: When everything is cooked nicely and has become soft and tender, turn the flame of your gas stove off. Now, add ½ cup of freshly grated coconut and 1 piece of gooseberry or pebble-sized tamarind, broken into two or smaller pieces to the content in the frying pan.

(Pro tip: Do not add more tamarind. Since the tomato will already add to the tanginess of the chutney, adding too much tamarind might make the chutney unnecessarily tangier and spoil its unique taste).

Step 7: Mix everything nicely while the flame is off. Let the ingredients sit in the pan for a while to cool down completely.

(Pro tip: Cooling is crucial since the heat might affect the eventual color of the chutney. It is better to transfer the ingredients to a separate plate rather than let it sit in the frying pan itself. This will end the cooking process and let the ingredients cool faster).

Step 8: When they are cool enough, transfer them to a mixer grinder jar and grind them to a fine paste. Do not add any water at this point. When done, check the consistency. If you are satisfied with it, transfer the paste to a separate bowl, keep it aside, and prepare the ingredients for tempering the chutney paste.

(Pro tip: If you feel the chutney paste is too thick, now add a little bit of water to the paste in the grinder. Blend it again. Continue adding water to the paste gradually and blending it every time you add water to it until you get the desired consistency. Always grind or blend in short intervals. This will prevent heat buildup by the rotating motors which might affect the eventual color of the chutney).

Step 9: In the same frying pan, add 2 tsp of white oil. When the oil heats up, put ½ tsp of mustard seeds in it. While the mustard seeds continue to crackle, add 6 to 8 pieces of fresh curry leaves in it. Let it cook for a few seconds and turn off the flame of your gas stove.

(Pro tip: While crackling, the mustard seeds as well as the curry leaves may sprinkle hot oil all over. Please make sure you are careful about it).

Step 10: Transfer the tempering ingredients immediately from the frying pan to the bowl containing the paste. Your tasty and spicy homemade radish chutney is finally ready to be served with idli, dosa, and a range of snack items and other dishes.