Onion chutney is a popular side dish that plays a crucial role in a standard south Indian breakfast. If you have Dosa or Idly on your menu, onion chutney is a great choice as a side dish.
This chutney also makes a great side dish for chapatis, aapams and idiyapam.
It is quick and easy to make, and the recipe is quite simple too. So here are the ingredients for the onion chutney recipe:
Main ingredients
Pearl onions – 1 Cup
Garlic cloves (optional) – 5-8
Red chillies – 6-8 (depending upon the type of chilli you use and the spice level you prefer, you can adjust this accordingly)
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 tsp
To temper:
Urad dhal – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 1/2 tsp
Curly leaves – a bunch
The only thing that takes time with this recipe is peeling the small onions. I’m sure many busy moms rather opt for the big onions for the same reason.
But small onions, or the pearl onions have unique health benefits; and the use of pearl onions gives a unique taste to this chutney.
Pearl onions act as antibiotic and its topical use heals insect bites. When consumed raw, it strengthens the cardiovascular system and regularises cholesterol.
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Regularly adding pearl onions to your cooking will give you a lot of health benefits. For one it balances/stabilizes blood sugar levels.
It is also a great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food.
How to easily peel pearl onions?
Take the required amount of pearl onions. Boil water in a pan. Switch off the stove and drop the onions into the boiled water while it is still hot.
Wait for about 15 minutes. Then drain the hot water, and add in some cool tap water.
Now you can peel the onions much easier. You can also try cutting off the root side and give a little press on the other to see the onion pop outside of the skin. Fun!
How to make onion chutney?
Now that you have the pearl onions peeled, take a kadai and add a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is warm add the red chillies and garlic cloves. The garlic is totally optional. You can avoid using it if you wish.
Once the chillies and garlic have got cooked slightly remove them from the kadai and keep aside.
In the same kadai, add the onions and saute until the onion becomes translucent. Remove the onions from the kadai and allow them to cool.
Once cooled, add in the onions, garlic and red chillies and grind them together in a blender, along with salt and about a tablespoon of water. Transfer to a bowl or serving dish.
Now add about 1/2 tsp of cooking oil in the same kadai and add urad dhal. Once it slightly changes color, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add in the curry leaves and immediately switch off the stove. Remove from heat and top the chutney with this seasoning.
Your delicious (and hot) onion chutney is ready.
The simple onion chutney recipe
Ingredients
- Main ingredients
- Pearl onions - 1 Cup
- Garlic cloves optional - 5-8
- Red chillies - 6-8 depending upon the type of chilli you use and the spice level you prefer, you can adjust this accordingly
- Salt - to taste
- Oil - 1 tsp
- To temper:
- Urad dhal - 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Oil - 1/2 tsp
- Curly leaves - a bunch
Instructions
- Take a kadai and add a tablespoon of oil.
- Add the red chillies and garlic cloves.
- Once the chillies and garlic have got cooked slightly remove them from the kadai and keep aside.
- In the same kadai, add the onions and saute until the onion becomes translucent.
- Remove the onions from the kadai and allow them to cool.
- Grind onions, garlic, red chillies along with salt and a tablespoon of water.
- Add 1/2 tsp of oil in the same kadai and add urad dhal.
- Once it slightly changes color, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add in the curry leaves and immediately switch off the stove.
- Remove from heat and top the chutney with this seasoning.
This post was last modified on May 16, 2020 3:33 PM