Coconut Chutney or Thengai Chutney is a South Indian condiment that is served with dosa, idli, vada, and also as a part of a meal. Made with fresh coconut, it is one of the versatile chutneys that pairs well with any South Indian snack or breakfast. I am sharing 8+ variations of this chutney in this post. Choose the one that you like the best.
Here are some more South Indian chutney recipes that you can try – Tomato Onion Chutney, Andhra Style Peanut Chutney, Green Tomato Chutney, and Peanut Coriander Chutney.
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About This Recipe
Coconut chutney is a South Indian savory condiment made using fresh coconut as its main ingredient and is traditionally served with dosa, idli, upma, vada, and can also be a part of your delicious South Indian meal.
No matter which South Indian restaurant you go to, this chutney will always be served on the plate with crispy hot dosa, soft idlis, and crunchy vadas. It just needs a few everyday ingredients, the most important being – fresh coconut.
Every South Indian home has its own way of preparing it, but this recipe is my favorite of all the recipes I have ever tried.
Once you learn to make the classic white coconut chutney, you can make many variations by changing a few ingredients here and there.
You can also make it dry or flowy, depending on your preference.
Ingredients
All the ingredients to make this chutney are easily available at Indian grocery stores.
Coconut – Fresh coconut is the star ingredient of this chutney. To save time, use frozen coconut which is already grated. You will find it in the freezer section of any Indian grocery store.
If using frozen coconut, make sure to bring it to room temperature otherwise the fat might separate and the texture of the chutney will not be nice.
You can also use unsweetened desiccated coconut or coconut flakes to make this chutney.
Roasted Bengal Gram (Bhuna Chana) – These are different from the chana dal (Bengal gram lentils). They give a nice body to the chutney. If you do not add the roasted gram, the water will separate from the chutney after some time, and it will become watery. If Bengal gram is not available, you can replace them with roasted peanuts or sesame seeds.
Yogurt – Yogurt adds a lovely tang to the chutney. To make a vegan chutney, replace it with a little tamarind paste.
Green Chili & Ginger – Adjust the amount of these two according to your taste.
Tamarind Paste – It gives a nice tang to the chutney apart from the yogurt. Do not miss it. If you do not have tamarind paste, you can also soak a lime size ball of seedless tamarind in ½ cup hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it, discard the pulp and use the water while grinding the chutney.
For Tempering – Tempering is optional but a nice tempering elevates the taste of this chutney to another level. You will need cooking oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafetida, and dry red chilies.
You can use any vegetable oil or even coconut oil to temper the chutney.
How To Make Coconut Chutney
- White Coconut Chutney
It is the most basic coconut chutney that can be used as the base for other variations. Check out the detailed video recipe on my youtube channel.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- ¼ cup roasted Bengal gram
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 green chili, chopped
- ½ inch piece of ginger, chopped
- 2 teaspoon tamarind paste
- salt to taste
Add all the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup water.
Blend for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.
Temper the chutney if you wish to.
2. Red Coconut Chutney
It is made by adding dry red chilies to the basic chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut (packed)
- 2 tablespoon roasted chana
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- 3-4 whole garlic cloves
- 6-8 whole Kashmiri dry red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- salt (To taste)
- 2 teaspoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth. Temper if you wish to.
Here is a detailed recipe to make Red Coconut Chutney.
3. Green Coconut Chutney
It is made by adding cilantro (coriander) to the basic chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 2 tablespoon roasted Bengal gram
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 2-3 green chilies
- ½ inch chopped ginger
- ½ cup cilantro (coriander)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- salt to taste
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup water. Blend until smooth. Temper the chutney if you wish to.
Here is a detailed recipe to make green coconut chutney.
4. Mint Coconut Chutney
Fresh mint leaves add a lovely flavor to the coconut chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 2 tablespoon roasted Bengal gram
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 2-3 green chilies
- ½ cup mint leaves
- ½ inch chopped ginger
- ½ cup cilantro (coriander)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- salt to taste
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup water and blend until smooth. Temper the chutney if you wish.
Here is a detailed recipe to make Mint Coconut Chutney.
5. Curry Leaves Coconut Chutney
Adding some curry leaves gives a very nice yet different taste to this chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 2 tablespoon roasted Bengal gram
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- ½ cup curry leaves
- 2-3 green chilies
- ½ inch chopped ginger
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- salt to taste
Method
Add the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup water. Blend until smooth. Temper if you wish to.
6. Andhra Style Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chana dal (Bengal gram)
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (split, skinned black lentils)
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoon cooking oil
- 4-5 whole dry red chilies
- 2 green chilies
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
Roast chana dal, urad dal, and coriander seeds with oil until lightly brown. Add whole dry red chilies, green chilies, and ginger, and sauté for a minute. Add grated coconut and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Grind the coconut mixture with ½ cup water to make a smooth chutney.
7. Peanut Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 2 tablespoon roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 2-3 green chilies
- ½ inch chopped ginger
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- salt to taste
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup water. Blend until smooth. Temper the chutney if you wish to.
8. Green Mango Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 2 tablespoon roasted Bengal gram
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 2-3 green chilies
- ½ inch chopped ginger
- ½ cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoon chopped green mangoes
- salt to taste
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender along with ½ cup water. Blend until smooth. Temper if you wish to.
9. Tomato Onion Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ inch chopped ginger
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- salt to taste
Method
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add onions, tomatoes, and ginger and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add grated coconut and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add this mixture along with dry red chilies, tamarind paste, salt, and ½ cup water to a blender and blend until smooth. Temper if you wish to.
Tempering The Chutney
Whichever variation of thengai chutney you make, they taste great with tempering.
To temper the chutney, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. You can also use sesame oil or coconut oil for tempering.
Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon urad dal (split and skinned black lentils). Fry until the dal turns golden brown(40-60 seconds). Keep stirring while frying using a small spoon.
Add 1-2 broken dry red chilies (remove the stalk), 10-12 curry leaves, and ¼ teaspoon asafetida and fry for 2-3 seconds. Skip adding asafetida for gluten-free chutney.
Pour the tempering over the chutney and mix well. You can save some tempering for the garnishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Opening a coconut is a tricky process but with some practice, 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 center of the coconut. It should break into two halves. If not, then try a few more times.
To take out the coconut meat, freeze the halved shells for 6-8 hours. Then thaw them for an hour. Now insert a knife all along with the corners and the coconut flesh will come out easily.
Cut the flesh into small pieces and either remove the brown skin using a vegetable peeler or a knife or use it as is.
Yes, you can eat it during pregnancy. In fact, coconut is considered very good to eat while pregnant. But make sure you eat in moderate quantities and also consult your doctor.
All the ingredients in this chutney except yogurt are vegan. Skip the yogurt to make a vegan version.
To make it gluten-free, just skip adding asafetida (hing).
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.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this chutney with Masala Dosa, Idli, Vada, Paniyaram, Uttapam, Pongal, Upma, or any South Indian meal.
I love to serve it with Rava Appe, Rava Upma, Ragi Idli, Paniyaram, or Goli Baje.
You can also serve it with Aloo Pakora, Onion Pakoda, or Vada.
You can also serve it as a dip with nachos or chips or slather it over sandwiches and wraps.
Storage Suggestions
Store this chutney in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container and use a clean spoon to take out the chutney every time you use it.
You can freeze this chutney in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to a month. Store in small containers good for one-time use. Thaw and use.
To bring back the chutney to life, you can give it a fresh tempering.
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Recipe Card
Coconut Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
To Make The Chutney
- 1 cup grated fresh coconut
- ¼ cup roasted Bengal gram (bhuna chana) (or roasted peanuts)
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 green chili (chopped, adjust according to your taste)
- ½ inch piece of ginger (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
- salt to taste
For Tempering
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any other oil)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon split and husked black lentil (urad dal)
- 1-2 whole dry red chilies (stalks removed and broken into 2-3 pieces)
- 10-12 curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
Instructions
Make The Chutney
- Add all the ingredients to make the chutney in a blender along with ½ cup water. Blend until smooth.
- Add some more water if the chutney is thick for your liking. Check for salt and add more if needed. Transfer the chutney to the serving bowl.
Temper It
- Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and urad dal and fry until the dal turns brown(40-60 seconds). Keep stirring while frying.
- Add broken whole dry red chilies, curry leaves, and asafetida and fry for 2-3 seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the chutney and mix well.
