Red Chilli Chutney Recipe | No-Coconut Red Chutney Recipe

This fiery red chilli chutney recipe is amma's specialty for specific breakfast dishes like adai dosa, 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 ;)

Adai with Red Chilli Chutney

A 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

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes ~ 1/3 cup chutney
Recipe Source: Amma

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

How to Make Red Chilli Chutney:

• 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.

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.

Notes:

• You can use onions instead of shallots but the flavour will be compromised quite a bit
• The garlic is optional but recommended
• You can store this red chilli chutney in the fridge for up to 2 days