If you are looking for the perfect South Indian Green Coconut Chutney recipe, this is it! Ready in very few minutes, using very simple ingredients, this fresh coconut chutney will absolutely enhance your meal, be that sambar, vada, dosa, idli, or any other tiffin snack.
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Green coriander coconut chutney is a must-try if you are just starting out with South Indian cooking. It is vibrant, cooling, and tangy, and it brings a little acidity that balances out well with the tadka on top of it... all in all, one of the best condiments to try!
If, on the other hand, you know South Indian food very well, this cilantro coconut chutney recipe needs no further introduction, as you already know what a treat to have with rava, idli, dosa, sambar, this is!
Ready in five minutes, all you need to do is blend the grated coconut with some roasted chana dal, ginger, and flavorings to a smooth paste, to then top it with a fresh tadka [tempering] made with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, and curry leaves.
Place this delicious coconut chutney in a serving bowl and enjoy till the last spoon!
Ingredients Green Coriander Coconut Chutney
- Grated Coconut: Either fresh or frozen, coconut is the star of the dish. Try not to swap these for dry or desiccated coconut versions, as the end result won't be the same, either in consistency or flavor.
- Cilantro [Fresh Coriander Leaves]: Tender stems and leaves of cilantro give this coconut chutney its distinctive flavor and color. Opt for freshly purchased ones for the best results.
- Tamarind: Tamarind paste or pulp give this chutney recipe its tangy flavor. This can be substituted with a little curd [plain white yogurt], lemon juice, or lime juice, however, for a real South Indian experience, I'd recommend not to substitute this ingredient.
- Roasted Chana Dal [Roasted Bengal Gram, Fried Gram]: This coriander coconut chutney recipe really reaches new levels with the addition of roasted chana dal to the smooth paste for a unique nutty flavor. If not available, it can be exchanged for roasted peanuts, almonds, or cashews, but the end result will slightly change.
- Fresh Ginger, Cumin Seeds, Green Chilies: These are three important flavorings for the coconut green chutney. While the ginger offers heat and freshness at the same time, the cumin seeds are warming, and the green chillies allow you to add as much heat as you like. Do not substitute cumin seeds for powder, as it won't offer the same result.
- Curry Leaves: A very important ingredient, these are added both in the blender jar to create the paste, and in the tempering [tadka], just after you add mustard seeds and they have nearly all popped.
- Mustard Seeds, Hing [Asafoetida], White Urad Dal, and Dry Red Chillies: The tempering flavorings, with urad dal and the dry red chillies being optional, but recommended.
- Oil: For the tempering use a flavorless oil, such as sunflower or vegetable oil. Some say to use light olive oil, but it still has a taste and it is not typically Indian, so I would not recommend this swap.
How To Prepare Green Coconut Chutney
- Wash the fresh cilantro [fresh coriander] and remove the bottom couple of inches [5 cm] of the stems, which tend to be quite bitter.
- Add the grated coconut, cilantro, tamarind, chana dal, ginger, cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, and salt to taste in a blender jar or food processor and blitz until you obtain a smooth consistency.
- When doing step two, you will need a bit of water to achieve a pleasant and smooth chutney consistency. It is important that the water is added a bit at a time, as adding too much will make it hard to create a paste and break down the grated coconut. A few tablespoons at a time will work best.
- If you like your chutney thinner, then add the water once the paste is smooth, not before, for the reasons in point 3. You can add water to obtain the desired consistency, but you may need to adjust the salt.
- Move the paste to a serving bowl and set it aside.
- To prepare the tempering, heat oil in a small pan on medium heat, and once warm add mustard seeds.
- Once the seeds nearly stop splattering and popping, add the curry leaves, thing, urad dal, and dry red chilies.
- Mix well, and after about 15-20 seconds on low heat, remove from the pan and add to the coconut chutney paste.
- Mix the tempering with the coconut chutney paste and serve.
- For presentation, keep a bit of the tempering on the side and add it on top without mixing.
People Also Ask [FAQs]
Green coconut chutney combines coconut, green chilies, cumin seeds, and cilantro with a quick tempering.
It is often served with sambar, idli, dosa, vada, but also as a sandwich spread or a dip for snacks.
How to store fresh coconut chutney?
Green coconut chutney can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.
When using it, remove the required quantity from the container using a clean spoon.
To revive, you can add a quick tempering on top once the coconut chutney has been brought back to room temperature.
The coconut chutney can also be frozen in single portions in the freezer; before using it, allow the portion to fully thaw overnight in the fridge.
If using frozen grated coconut, it is best not to freeze it again, however, fresh coconut can be frozen.
How to roast chana dal?
To roast chana dal, heat up a large empty frying pan on medium heat.
Once warm, reduce the heat to low and add chana dal and allow it to roast, while continuously mixing, so as to avoid burning it.
You want to roast the dal until it is golden brown.
Tips & Tricks for Green Coconut Chutney
- Heat Level: For a mild chutney, use only one green chili and add more if needed once tasted.
- Chutney Recipes: There are many coconut chutney versions, such as white coconut chutney, which doesn't use fresh cilantro, or red coconut chutney, which adds some roasted dry red chilies to the chutney.
- Grated Coconut: Fresh or frozen coconut work the best in this recipe, and they can both be found already grated in most Indian grocery stores. If you are lucky enough to find fresh coconut, then you can use the whole coconut flesh for the recipe. Using dry or desiccated coconut will not offer the same result, as these tend to be harder to break into a smooth paste, and much sweeter.
- Cilantro: It is best to use cilantro [fresh coriander] that is fresh as this will offer the best flavor. Ensure the cilantro leaves are bright green and use only the softer parts of the stems, which need to be washed carefully.
- Flavor: If you don't like the taste of raw cilantro but still want to prepare this coconut chutney, then you can lightly fry it in a little vegetable oil, before blending it with the other ingredients.
- Mint: For a twist, you can mix half cilantro and half mint leaves [pudina].
- Gluten-Free: Most asafoetida [hing] contain gluten, however, there are some brands that prepare it gluten-free. This is the only ingredient to check in this recipe, as the others are naturally gluten-free.
Chutney with a smooth texture is one of the best treats I can think of with some nice pakoras, masala dosas, or crispy vadas, and as far as side dish cuisine goes, this really is the tastiest and easiest treat to prepare in a handful of minutes.
This recipe is extremely easy to prepare, bright in color, and unites sweet coconut with delicious peppery cilantro, spicy green chilies, nutty roasted chana dal, and a flavorful tempering that unites all the cooling, vibrant, acid, and tangy notes together.
Make this your regular coconut chutney, and enjoy it over again!
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🍽️ Recipe
The Perfect 5-Minute Green Coconut Chutney Recipe
Ingredients
For the coconut paste
- 75 g Coconut Grated
- 4 tablespoon Cilantro Stems and Leaves
- Small Piece Seedless Tamarind Pulp
- Salt to Taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Roasted Chana Dal
- ½ teaspoon Fresh or Frozen Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 Green Chili
- 6-8 Curry Leaves
For the tadka
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Hing [Asafoetida]
- ½ teaspoon White Urad Dal
- 8-10 Curry Leaves
- 1-2 Dry Red Chilies
Instructions
- To begin, in a grinder or blender, add cilantro, cumin seeds, coconut, tamarind pulp, salt, roasted dal, ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves.
- Make a smooth paste, adding a little water at the time when necessary, making sure this remains as thick as possible, as this makes it easier to blend.
- Once smooth, water can be added, if desired, to reach the preferred consistency; if doing so, adjust the salt.
- Mix well and move the coriander coconut chutney to a serving bowl.
- In a small pan, start preparing the tempering [tadka].
- Heat oil on medium-low heat, and once warm, add mustard seeds.
- Once the mustard seeds have popped [will take 30 seconds to one minute], reduce the heat to low.
- Add hing [asafoetida], curry leaves, urad dal, and red chilies, mix well for 15-20 seconds, ensuring not to burn any of the ingredients.
- Immediately pour the tempering on top of the cilantro coconut chutney.
- Serve the green coconut chutney with dosa, idli, pakoras, or as a side dish to other snacks and courses.
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