South Indian Coconut Chutney

Prepared from fresh coconut, urad dal, Green chillies, dry red chilli etc, coconut chutney is one of the best chutney recipes for serving with dosa, vada, masala dosa, idli, pongal and other snacks.  Many people also add mustard seeds, mint, peanuts, mango, roasted chana to this chutney.

However, I always follow this basic recipe as the simplicity of this chutney is the clear winner and it is easy to make as well. In order to make this accompaniment tastier, I advise that you must temper it.

So, I am sharing the traditional way in which most households make this chutney. There could be some variations but the basic recipe hold the same. 

What is Coconut Chutney?

What to say about coconut chutney? It is one of the tastiest chutneys ever. It is a South Indian condiment that is served with dosa, idli, vada, and also as a part of a meal. It is one of the versatile chutneys that pairs well with any South Indian snack or breakfast.

Almost every family will have their own recipe for this chutney. The ingredients vary from state to state. Some people like to add a little tamarind and some a little curd. No matter which recipe you follow, the end products is a delicious and super healthy chutney.

Hotel style coconut chutney is slightly different from the home made ones but whichever version you make, it’s delicious.

There are many versions of this chutney like red chilli coconut chutney, green coconut chutney with coriander and mint, Andhra style with tamarind and Kerala style with coconut oil.

You can also make it dry or thin, depending on your taste preference.

In short, this coconut chutney is

• Easy to make
• Creamy
• Tastes much better and uses the best ingredients
• You can make the variation you like to suit your palate

How to make Coconut Chutney Recipe?

This is a very simple, easy-to-make hotel style recipe that pairs well with idli, vada, dosa or meals. There are two steps to making this chutney – grinding all the ingredients to make a paste and then making a tadka.

First, take coconut pieces or desiccated coconut, roasted Bengal gram, curd, green chilli, ginger, and salt in a grinder and grind properly with some water. Depending on how you like it, chunky or creamy, you can grind it.

Once done, transfer it to a bowl. Now heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and urad dal/split skinned black lentil. Cook until mustard seeds start spluttering and urad dal starts browning.

Add dry red chilies, curry leaves and hing/asafoetida and sauté. Pour the tempering over the chutney. Mix the tempering with the chutney. Serve with dosa, idli or paniyaram. This chutney is without onion-garlic, so can consume it when fasting. You can also skip Bengal gram and urad dal if you don’t consume these during fasting.

How to crack open a coconut?

Opening a coconut is a tricky process but with some practise, you can do it easily. To start with, remove the husk from the outside of the coconut and keep it on a sturdy surface.

I generally keep it on the backyard steps and not on my kitchen counter. Now using a heavy knife or a hammer, tap hard at the centre of the coconut.

It should break into two halves. If not, then try a few more times.

Now to take out the coconut meat, I freeze the halved shells for 6-8 hours. Then thaw them for an hour. Now insert a knife all along the corners and the coconut flesh comes out easily.

Now you can cut the flesh in small pieces and either remove the brown skin using a vegetable peeler or a knife or use it as is.

Red Coconut Chutney Recipe

To make red coconut chutney, you will need whole dried red chillies. Replace green chillies with dried red chillies while grinding. You can follow the rest of the steps as given below. Here is a detailed recipe to make Red Coconut Chutney.

Green Coconut Chutney Recipe

For green coconut chutney, you are going to need fresh coriander leaves. Add washed and roughly chopped coriander leaves while grinding. You can follow rest of the recipe as is. Here is a detailed recipe to make green coconut chutney.

You can also add mint in this recipe.

Coconut Chutney with Curry Leaves

Adding some curry leaves in coconut chutney gives a very nice yet different taste to this popular Idli Dosa chutney. You can check out the recipe by clicking on this link.

Can coconut chutney be frozen?

Yes, the good news is you can freeze the coconut chutney in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to a month. It stays good refrigerated for up to a week.

Can diabetics eat coconut chutney?

Yes, diabetics can eat coconut chutney. Make sure you eat in moderate quantities and also consult your doctor.

Can you eat coconut chutney during pregnancy?

Yes, you can eat coconut chutney during pregnancy. Infact, coconut is considered very good to eat while pregnancy. But make sure you eat in moderate quantities and also consult your doctor.

Is coconut chutney vegan?

Yes, you can make the coconut chutney vegan. Skip the curd/yogurt and use tamarind instead and you have the recipe for the vegan chutney. All the ingredients in this chutney except curd are vegan and hence vegan people can easily modify this recipe.

What to eat with coconut chutney?

You can serve this chutney with masala dosa, idli, vada, paniyaram, dosa, utthapam, pongal or any Indian meals. You can even use it as a spread in your sandwiches.

I love to serve it with Ragi Idli, Paniyaram or Goli Baje.

How to make Kerala Style Coconut Chutney

For Kerala-style coconut chutney, you will need shallots or small red onions. While grinding the ingredients mentioned for the chutney. Use tamarind instead of curd. Grind all the ingredients to get a smooth paste and temper with all the ingredients mentioned for tempering.

How to make Andhra Style Coconut Chutney

To make Andhra-style coconut chutney, you will need tamarind paste instead of curd. Roast chana dal, urad dal and some coriander seeds with some oil. Once brown, add red chillies, green chillies, ginger and sauté for a minute.

Now add coconut pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. Once cool, grind it with a little water to make a smooth paste.

For the tempering, heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. Fry till the dal turns brown. Add dry red chilies, curry leaves and hing. Once done, pour the tempering over the chutney.

How to make Coconut Chutney without roasted chana dal

You can use roasted peanuts instead of chana dal.

How to make coconut chutney without Fresh Coconut

If you don’t have fresh coconut available, you can use coconut powder or grated dried coconut.

You can even use frozen desiccated coconut if fresh is not available.

How to make coconut chutney without Mixer

Traditionally this chutney is made using a mortar pestle. You can grind all the ingredients using mortar pestle if you do not have a mixer. Infact the taste will be much better if it’s ground on a stone slab.

Other Variations of Coconut Chutney

Add mint in the recipe to make Mint Coconut Chutney.

Tomato and Onion can be added in this chutney too. 

Add peanut for a change in taste. Make sure to roast the peanuts before adding in the chutney.

Roasted sesame seeds makes a great addition in this chutney.

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How to make White Coconut Chutney Step by Step

Add all the ingredients for chutney in a blender.

Blend until smooth. Use little water to blend the chutney.

For the tempering, heat oil in a small pan.

Add mustard seeds and urad dal. Fry till the dal turns brown.

Add dry red chilies, curry leaves and hing.

Pour the tempering over the chutney and mix well.

Coconut Chutney Recipe