Coconut Chutney is a classic. It is a must-have with almost every South Indian breakfast/snack dish. You’ll find different variations: some have mint, some have cilantro, some have peanuts instead of roasted and split chickpeas.
Once Upon A Time In Bangalore
I have fond memories of this little roadside shack in Bangalore, from ages ago (I’m talking late 80s). They served delicious Idli, Wada and Upma (called Khara Baath in Kannada language), with the most amazing coconut chutney. The one difference I could tell was they added fresh mint in it. There was no limit on the amount of chutney-we would keep going back for more. There was no seating, so we had to eat standing. It was a struggle to get your order served. You had to yell at the top of your voice to order your dish and then make sure you were close to the counter to pick it up. Nope, there were no lines, but it was totally worth it!
My Favorite Chutney!
Another chutney I have fond memories of, is the one they used to serve in trains. We used to do a lot of train travel in India. Nowadays, air travel is much more dominant. Every time I go back to India, I tell myself I will do a train journey, but it never happens. I’m always in a rush! One of the most exciting part of train travel was the snacks that vendors use peddle, yelling them out (‘hot samosas’, ‘delicious idlis’ and so on). I used to love those idlis with the watered down, spicy coconut chutney, served out of a small steel bucket. This is now my most favorite chutney, especially with steaming hot idlis!
My Favorite Idli Chutney
Biodegradable Plates
Especially interesting is the fact that idlis were served in biodegradable disposable plates made from banyan leaves (Vistaraku in Telugu). These plates are still very popular in India. Unlike regular plates, these biodegradable ones add flavor to the food. You had to be careful not to spill on yourself-the plates were made of leaves that were stitched together by hand. The chutney being watery, would run through the cracks. It was an experience! Nowadays you get machine stitched plates that are sturdier.
Biodegradable Disposable Plate – Vistaraku
Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a “functional food” because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content. Roasted chickpeas are a rich source of proteins and hence helps fuel the body.
Don’t forget to check out our other yummy chutneys!
- Coconut Tomato Chutney
- Yellow Mung Raw Onion Chutney
- Cranberry Chutney with a South Indian Twist
- Malabar Spinach Chutney
- Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Chutney
- Spicy Sweet Tangy Tomato Chutney
- Ridge Gourd Chutney
- Raw Dosakaya or Cucumber Salad/Chutney
- Raw Mango Fenugreek Salsa
- Spicy Garlic Chutney
- Allam Pachadi: Zesty Ginger Chutney!
- Delicious Peanut-Coconut Chutney
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Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Grated Coconut - Fresh
- 1/2 Cup Chana (Chickpeas) - Roasted (dalia)
- 1 Chili Green Chili Pepper - Or to taste
- 1 Teaspoon Rice Bran Oil - Extra Virgin
- 6 Leaves Curry Leaves
- 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 Chili Dry Red Chili
- 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal - Split Black Gram
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or To Taste
Instructions
- Get your ingredients ready: 1. Seasoning- curry leaves, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry chili pepper 2. Roasted chickpeas, coconut, green chili pepper and salt
- Blend coconut, roasted chickpeas and green chili in a blender to a coarse paste, along with salt. Add a little filtered water to make it easier to blend (optional: add a couple of fresh mint leaves for that extra dash of flavor).
- Heat oil in a pan, sauté mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, urad dal, and dry red chili.
- Add seasoning to the blended chutney mix well before serving.
- Serve fresh with Multigrain Dosa and South Indian Potato Curry.
