Kara Chutney Recipe – Side Dish for Idli Dosa

Hotel Kara Chutney

Kara Chutney – Side Dish for Idli Dosa – Spicy Chutney for Idli Dosa – Hotel Style Red Chutney – Tamil Nadu Kara Chutney – How to make Kara Chutney – Hotel Kara Chutney 

Kara Chutney is a popular spicy side dish for Idli Dosa made with onion, tomato, red chilies, tamarind and coconut. This is quite famous in Tamil Nadu, almost all hotel chains & restaurants serve this kara chutney as a side for idli dosa. Many street fast food eateries also serve this for Bhajji Bonda!

What is Kara Chutney?

Kara / Karam refers to something spicy.  Kara Chutney, a spicy chutney that is usually made with dry red chilies. It has many variation,  the one that is very popular is often made with onion, tomato, tamarind & red chilies with or without coconut. It also goes by different names Hotel Red Chutney / Vara Milagai Chutney / Spicy Red Chutney / Rottu Kadai Red Chutney.  Some even refer this as  Hotel Saravan Bhavan Red Chutney

Today we will learn how to make is this Kara chutney. 

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Kara Chutney Recipe – How to make Kara Chutney

Kara Chutney is a popular spicy side dish for Idli, dosa primarily made with onion, tomato, garlic, red chillies, tamarind and coconut.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Breakfast, dinner, Side Dish, tiffin
Cuisine: Indian, south indian, tamil nadu
Keyword: chutney, hotel chutney, kara chutney, red chutney
Servings: 4
Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

To Saute

  • 1.5 cup Onion roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 8 long Dry Red Chili
  • 1/4 cup Tomato
  • 1 marble size Tamarind
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Coconut optional
  • 2 tablespoon Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 tablespoon Water only if needed

To Temper

  • 2 teaspoon Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon Split black gram
  • 10 leaves Curry leaves minced

Instructions

To Saute

  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Saute onion, garlic and dry red chili for for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions turn soft and transparent.
  • Add tomatoes, tamarind and coconut and saute until the tomatoes turns soft and mushy.
  • Add salt and mix well. Switch off.
  • Let this mixture cool completely.
  • Transfer to a mixer jar and grind to fine paste like consistency. Try not to use any water, add only if you need to run the mixer.

To Temper

  • Heat little oil in a small pan.
  • Temper with mustard seeds, split black gram and finely minced curry leaves.
  • Pour this over the chutney and mix well.
  • Serve chutney with Idli or Dosa!

Video

Notes

Adding coconut is optional. 

Instructions

To Saute

  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Saute onion, garlic and dry red chili for for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions turn soft and transparent.
  • Add tomatoes, tamarind and coconut and saute until the tomatoes turns soft and mushy. 
  • Adding tamarind while sautéing will help to soften it. Adding raw tamarind (which is usually on the dry side) while grinding will make it stick the mixer blades will not grind properly,  either soak the tamarind before grinding or saute.
  • Coconut is not a must for this chutney, adding a little will add extra taste and quantity. Normally fresh coconut chutney doesn’t stay long at room temperature, frying them along with the other ingredients will actually extend its life. 
  • Add salt and mix well. Switch off.
  • Let this mixture cool completely.
  • Transfer to a mixer jar and grind to fine paste like consistency. Try not to use any water, add only if you need to run the mixer.

To Temper

  • Heat little oil in a small pan.
  • Temper with mustard seeds, split black gram and finely minced curry leaves.
  • Pour this over the chutney and mix well.
  • Serve chutney with Idli or Dosa!
 
 

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