Kara Chutney | South Indian Chutney | Idlis | Dosa

Dive into flavours of this fiery hot spicy chutney. This chutney is spicy, tangy and a total flavour bomb. Imagine dipping pipping hot crispy dosa into a bowl of a spicy tangy chutney. A heavenly combination that you should not miss out on!

Chutneys are special when it comes to Indian cuisine. India is the origin of different varieties of regional chutneys. They are super versatile. You can relish it as a condiment, use it as an ingredient, and even as a spread.

I am a hardcore chutney fan. I need variation when it comes to having chutneys with idli or dosa, even if it is a slight one. And this kara chutney is like an explosion of flavour in your mouth. It is delicious to the core. In fact it is my favourite chutney from South Indian cuisine. You can obviously make it less spicy.

Apart from Coconut Chutney, I also like this Spicy Tangy Peanut Chutney and Curry Leaves Chutney known as Karvepaku Pichadi. You can check out more chutney recipes here.

What is Kara Chutney?

South Indian cuisine is not just about coconut chutney. There is so much variety and one such variety is Kara Chutney which originated in Tamil Nadu where kara means spicy. This chutney is typically made with onion, garlic, tomatoes, lentils and red chilies. 

This chutney because of its spiciness and lot of other flavours pairs perfectly well with foods that do not have a lot of complicated flavour combinations. It pairs great with these Ragi Paniyarams/Appe, Karanataka Style Spongy Coconut Dosa and Idlis

Originally kara chutney does not contain any coconut but I like to add a little bit to cut down on spice and also I feel coconut kind of balances all the other overpowering flavours of garlic, onion, lentils and tomatoes.

Ingredients For Kara Chutney

1. Red Pearl Onion, also known as shallots are used in this recipe. You can also use regular red onions but pearl onions are milder and naturally sweet which balances the tanginess and spiciness of this chutney.

2. Lentils, bengal gram/channa dal and white split urad dal are roasted and added in the chutney. Lentils give a nice nutty flavour and also imparts body and texture.

3. Dried Red Chillies, this gives the beautiful red colour and obviously important to add spiciness. I have used Mathania red chillies. You can use Kashmiri red chillies too or whichever is available in your region.

4. Tomatoes, they are the base of this chutney along with onions. I have used roma tomatoes.

5. Garlic, it gives a pungent taste to the chutney. Also, I feel adding garlic can take the flavours of any dish to a whole new level.

6. Tamarind, it balances the spicy level and gives the required tanginess to the chutney.

7. Oil, required for roasting lentils, garlic and tomatoes. You can use any neutral oil. I have used unrefined groundnut oil.

8. Coconut, adding coconut to this kara chutney is completely optional. Traditionally coconut is not added. However, I have made both the versions and I really like the one with coconut. It gives a hint of sweetness and sort of mellows down the fieriness of red chilies.

9. Tempering, for tempering you need mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and oil. This to be added on the chutney after grinding.

How to Make Kara Chutney

For Grinding

1. Soak both the lentils in warm water for atleast an hour before roasting. Soaking helps to make lentils soft and also break the phytic acid which is naturally present in seeds and makes it easy to digest.

2. Drain the water from lentils. Pat dry.

3. In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Now add all the lentils. Roast on a medium to low flame till it is fragrant and gets golden brown colour. Take it out and set aside.

Note: Do not roast on high flame. The lentils will turn brown from the outside but will not be cooked.

4. Now add a tbsp of oil and add roughly chopped garlic. Sauté till rawness goes. Then add pearl onion or red onion and dry red chilies. Cook onions till they become translucent. There is no need to brown onions.

5. Now add roughly chopped tomatoes, salt and the roasted lentils. Cook everything till tomatoes get mushy and soft.

6. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool a bit. Transfer everything into a blender jar.

7. Also, add tamarind and coconut (if using) along with little bit of water.

8. Remove the lid, scrape the sides. Add more water if required till it becomes a smooth paste.

9. Remove the chutney in a bowl and keep aside.

Tempering of Kara Chutney

1. In the same pan heat 2 tsps of oil. I have used sesame oil. You can use any oil of your choice.

2. Now add mustard seeds and asafoetida and cook till mustard seeds start spluttering.

3. To this add 1 sprig or 8 to 10 curry leaves. Let it become crisp.

4. Now pour the tempering mixture over the kara chutney and mix well.

Pro Tips

• You can replace red chilies with Kashmiri chilies which are less spicy. The seeds of chilies can also be removed to make it less spicy.
• Roasting red chilies with onion avoid them from burning.
• If tamarind is not available, you can use lemon juice to add tanginess.
• Add little water at a time to avoid a thin consistency chutney.
• If you do not have pearl onions or shallots, use red onions instead.

Storage

Store the leftover chutney in an airtight glass jar (avoid plastic) in refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days. The chutney might become a little thick upon refrigerating. You can loosen it up be adding 1 or 2 tbsps. of warm water.