Red Chilli Coconut Chutney is an easy-to-make South Indian-style chutney that tastes delicious with dosa and idli. It comes together in just 15 minutes using simple ingredients (vegan).

About Red Coconut Chutney

White Coconut Chutney is one of the most popular South Indian condiments; no idli dosa meal is complete without it.

This spicy red chilli coconut chutney is a delicious variation of the classic white coconut chutney. The dry red chilies give this red coconut chutney a lovely smoky flavor and a little heat.

This bright and vibrant red coconut chutney recipe combines in under 15 minutes and uses basic pantry ingredients. It is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free.

Serve it with any South Indian breakfast dishes like dosa, idli, uttapam, etc. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, too.

This coconut chutney differs from the Maharashtrian dry coconut garlic chutney (vada pav chutney) served with vada pav. I have a lovely recipe for Vada Pav Chutney; check it out, too.

Here are some more chutney recipes for you

• Onion Tomato Chutney
• Coconut Chutney
• Andhra Style Peanut Chutney
• Mint Coconut Chutney
• Tomato Pachadi

Ingredients

You will get all the ingredients to make this red chutney in any Indian grocery store.

For The Chutney

Fresh Coconut – This chutney is ideally made using fresh coconut but you can also use desiccated coconut or unsweetened coconut flakes. You can use dry coconut instead of fresh coconut but the taste will differ.

To save time, buy already grated fresh coconut from the freezer section of an Indian grocery store.

Dried Red Chilies – Try to use Kashmiri dried red chilies or Bedgi Chilies, as they give the chutney a lovely, vibrant red color without making it too spicy. If you like your chutney spicy, go for spicy chilies like Guntur chili.

Roasted Chana – Add some roasted chana (Bengal gram, bhuna chana), as it adds a great texture to the chutney and prevents it from getting watery.

Tamarind Paste – This adds that much-needed tanginess to the chutney.

Others – You will also need garlic, fresh ginger, asafetida (hing), salt, and Kashmiri red chili powder.

For The Tempering

Tempering (Tadka) is optional but it gives a lovely flavor to the chutney and is highly recommended. You will need oil, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida (hing), curry leaves, and dry red chilies.

You can use sesame oil, coconut oil, or any other cooking oil.

You can also add some white urad dal and chana dal to the tempering for a nice crunch in this chutney.

How To Make Red Coconut Chutney

Preparation

Start by preparing the coconut. Discard the outer cover and take out the flesh of the coconut. Grate it using the large hole of a box grater or scrape it using a coconut scraper. You can also chop it into small pieces instead of grating.

Check out this detailed post on how to prepare coconut.

Tip – To save time, buy frozen grated coconut from the freezer section of an Indian grocery store.

Remove the stalks of the dry red chilies. Break them into small pieces if your blender is not too strong. Remove the seeds of the chilies if you like the chutney to be milder.

Chop or grate the ginger and peel the garlic cloves.

Gather the remaining ingredients.

Make The Chutney

Add

• 1 cup (tightly packed) grated or chopped coconut
• 2 tablespoon roasted Bengal gram (bhuna chana)
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger
• 3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
• 6-8 Kashmiri dry red chilies (discard the stalks)
• ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

to the jar of a high-speed blender.

Add ½ cup of water and blend to make a smooth chutney. Add more water if required.

Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.

Check for salt, add more if required, and blend again.

Note – The color and spiciness of the chutney will depend on the dry red chilies’ quality. Use the best quality organic chilies for the best result.

Transfer the chutney to the serving bowl.

Temper The Chutney (Tadka)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.

Add

• ¼ teaspoon asafetida
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 2-3 dry red chillies

and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds. Stir gently while frying.

Pour the tempering over the chutney. Mix well and serve.

Tip – Save some tempering for garnishing.

Variations

Each South Indian state has a slight variation in which they make this chutney. It is also made differently in different homes. I am listing a few variations that you can try, too.

To make a Kerala-style red chilli coconut chutney recipe, use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.

To make this chutney in Mangalore style, add a teaspoon of jaggery while grinding the chutney.

Some add shallots (pearl and sambar onions) to their chutney. Just fry the sliced shallot in some oil until golden brown. Then, blend them along with other ingredients.

Make this chutney with tomatoes. Saute chopped tomatoes in a little oil for 4-5 minutes. Add them with the remaining ingredients and make a chutney.

You can also add roasted peanuts, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), mint leaves, or roasted sesame seeds to this chutney recipe and make variations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

Red Coconut Chutney tastes best at room temperature.

This lip-smacking accompaniment is great to serve as a side dish with South Indian dishes like Ven Pongal, Rava Appe, Goli Baje, idli, dosa, Paniyaram, medu vada, bonda, rava dosa, or uttapam.

You can also serve it with Rasam Rice, Sambar Rice, Khichdi, dal rice, or plain steamed rice.

It can also be enjoyed as a dip with pakoras, samosas, or other fried snacks.

Storage Suggestions

This chutney will last 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use a fresh and dry spoon when you remove chutney from the container.

If it has thickened after refrigeration, add some water and mix well.