This fiery red chilli chutney recipe is amma’s specialty for specific breakfast dishes like adai, ragi dosa, rava idli, or even wheat dosa and uthappam. This chutney needs no coconut and that itself makes it super quick to make. The level of spice can be adjusted to taste, of course, but we make it extra hot and a little amount of chutney goes a long way. What this also means is that amma makes another side dish or coconut chutney to go along with this red chutney and the main dish.
Amma and I made this chutney together the last time I was in Kottayam. She was a tad too generous with the chillies and my brother thought it’s onion tomato chutney and served himself a generous spoonful. The ensuing burning tongue and watering eyes was fun to watch 😉
Red Chilli Chutney RecipeA lot of you asked me for the recipe of red chutney when I posted the Adai Dosa recipe. I waited to go back and make it with amma again before sharing it, so here goes.
Red Chilli Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of peeled and sliced shallots chinna vengayam, ulli
- 10-12 dry red chillies adjust to taste
- 1 pinch of hing perungayam, kayam, asafoetida
- 1 small piece of tamarind or 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1-2 tsp of salt adjust to tate
- 2 tsp of oil
- 1 clove of garlic
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add the chillies. Keeping flame very low, fry for a min until they start to glisten and emit a nice aroma of roasted chillies
- Remove the chillies and add the sliced shallots to the same pan. Fry until golden.
- Add the hing, garlic, and salt. Stir through and switch off the flame.
- Add the tamarind piece at the end.
- Cool completely and grind with the chillies to a smooth paste.
Notes
The garlic is optional but recommended
You can store this red chilli chutney in the fridge for up to 2 days
Step by Step Pictures for Making Red Chilli Chutney
1. Heat oil and fry chillies for 2-3 mins until they glisten. Keep flame low. Once done, remove and set aside.
2. Add shallots to the same pan and fry until golden.
3. Add hing, salt, and garlic and stir through to combine.
4. Turn off flame and add the tamarind.
5. Cool completely and grind with the red chillies to a smooth paste.
Serve with some coconut oil or gingelly oil poured over the chutney. This is optional but helps to cut down the heat and add some extra flavour.
What a fiery red colour? My aunt almost always makes this to go with soft hot idlis, but then liberally douses the heat with a spoon of gingely oil. Its amazing…hot idlis, fiery chutney with a dollop of gingely oil…need i say anything more?
Shobha
mouthwatering. I have never tried this red chilli chutney with idlis. Must do next time with some oil 🙂
Really hot…Clicks are awesome..
Loved this recipe Nags!! This chutney is ideal for spreading inside dosas while making masala dosas 🙂
Wowwww… looks super tempting and delicious.. lovely clicks too 🙂
i shall try this chutney next time. just one query nags. for how long does the chutney stay in the fridge?
dassana, you can store this chutney for up to 2 days. i have updated the post with the info since a couple more people had asked.
alright nags.
My mom makes this almost the same way Nags,luks so tempting…
Fiery and very inviting!
Fiery red colour is so inviting!
wow this must be super hot, 🙂 i usually made it the same way but more onions and less red chilli, so its more of an onion hot chutney
The colour and thickness of this chutney is tempting me to make it. 🙂