Kara Chutney is one of the popular side dishes in hotels which pairs up well with idli, dosa, oothapam, pongal etc. A quick chutney made with staple ingredients and in under 30 minutes. Learn to make Kara Chutney with step by step pictures and video.
Kara Chutney is a super spicy side dish that pairs well with soft uttapam, idli and crispy dosa too. I am not a fan of spicy chutneys but this one is an exception as it is super flavorful and tasty.
About Kara Chutney
‘Kara’ in tamil means spicy and chutney is a side dish served with idli, dosa hence Kara Chtuney is a spicy chutney. Chutneys are specialty of Tamil Nadu cuisine and this kara chutney is one of the popular chutneys.
Kara chutney is a fiery hot chutney made with onion, tomato, garlic, lentils and tempered with mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. It is super easy and quick to make so perfect to make for breakfast too.
Kara chutney that is served in road side shops named ‘thallu vandi’ in tamil is very popular. Kara chutney they serve there is slightly runny as they have to make and serve in bulk.
This Kara chutney is famous in hotels / restaurants too as it is one of the chutneys they served with idli, dosa. This chutney is super spicy, so if you are a fan of spicy side dishes then this is a must try for you.
Kara Chutney Video
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Kara Chutney Ingredients
- Onion, Tomato – Onion tomato forms the base of this chutney. Onion, tomato along with garlic are sauteed well and added along with ingredients to grind.
- Lentils – Urad dal, chana dal are roasted well and grind.
- Red Chillies – I have used 6 red chilies – if you want to reduce spice then add 3 regular chilies and 3 kashmiri red chilies.
- Tamarind – Tamarind balances the spice level.
- Tempering – A simple tempering is made using oil, mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves and added to chutney at the final stage.
How to make Kara Chutney Step by Step
1.Heat 1 teaspoon in a kadai – add 1 tablespoon urad dal, 1 tablespoon channa dal and 6 red chillies.
2.Saute until the lentils turn golden brown. Sauteing red chilies along with lentils avoids burning of it. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3.Now add 1 teaspoon oil along with 2 medium sized onion (sliced), 2 medium sized tomatoes(chopped roughly) and 4 cloves of garlic.
4.Saute until slightly soft.
6.Cook covered for 5-8 minutes or until the raw smell of tomatoes leave. In between stir to avoid burning at the bottom.
7.Once onion, tomato turns mushy its done.
8.Add 1 teaspoon tamarind, required salt to taste along with roasted lentils, red chilies.
9.Give a quick saute and switch off.
10.Transfer to a plate and cool down completely.
11.After cooling transfer it to a mixer jar, add little water.
12.Grind to chutney consistency – slightly coarse. Adjust salt at this stage.
13.Rinse mixer with water and add it.
14.Mix it well.
15.To the same kadai heat 1 tablespoon oil – add 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds let it crackle, add a pinch of hing and few curry leaves and let it splutter.
16.Add tempering to chutney.
17.Mix well and your kara chutney is ready.
Serve with crispy dosa!
Expert Tips
- You can replace regular red chilies with kashmiri red chilies to reduce spice level.
- You can even add a teaspoon of toor dal for flavor.
- Make it thin by adding little more water.
- Roasting red chilies with lentils avoids burning.
- Adjust salt according to the spice level of the chillies.
- You can even add a tablespoon of grated carrot , saute along with onion, tomato and grind it.
- You can add gingelly oil(nallennai) while tempering. It not only gives flavor, it balances the spice level well.
- You can add 1/2 teaspoon jaggery to give a tangy taste to the chutney.
Serving and Storage
Kara Chutney is a great side for Idli, Dosa, Vada, Uthappam, Pongal, Kichadi, Upma. This Chutney keeps well for 1 day in room temperature and 2 days in fridge.
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📖 Recipe Card
Kara Chutney Recipe | Hotel Style Kara Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 1 tablespoon whole urad dal
- 1 tablespoon channa dal
- 6 dry red chilies
- 2 medium sized big onion
- 2 medium sized tomato
- 4 cloves garlic
- salt to taste
- water as required
To temper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
- a pinch hing
- few curry leaves
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon in a kadai – add 1 tablespoon urad dal, 1 tablespoon channa dal and 6 red chillies.
- Saute until the lentils turn golden brown. Sauteing red chilies along with lentils avoids burning of it. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Now add 1 teaspoon oil along with 2 medium sized onion (sliced), 2 medium sized tomatoes(chopped roughly) and 4 cloves of garlic.
- Saute until slightly soft.
- Cook covered for 5-8 minutes or until the raw smell of tomatoes leave. I between stir to avoid burning at the bottom.
- Once onion, tomato turns mushy its done.
- Add 1 teaspoon tamarind, required salt to taste along with roasted lentils, red chilies.
- Give a quick saute and switch off.
- Transfer to a plate and cool down completely.
- After cooling transfer it to a mixer jar, add little water.
- Grind to chutney consistency – slightly coarse. Adjust salt at this stage,
- Rinse mixer with water and add it.
- Mix it well.
- To the same kadai heat 1 tablespoon oil – add 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds let it crackle, add a pinch of hing and few curry leaves and let it splutter.
- Add tempering to chutney.
- Mix well and your kara chutney is ready.
- Serve with crispy dosa!
Video
Notes
- You can replace regular red chilies with kashmiri red chilies to reduce spice level.
- You can even add a teaspoon of toor dal for flavor. Make it thin by adding little more water.
- Roasting red chilies with lentils avoids burning. Adjust salt according to the spice level of the chilies.
- You can even add a tablespoon of grated carrot , saute along with onion, tomato and grind it.
- You can add gingelly oil(nallennai) while tempering. It not only gives flavor, it balances the spice level well.
- You can add 1/2 teaspoon jaggery to give a tangy taste to the chutney.
Meenal Krishnan
today i tried this receipe sharmi and it come out well….thanks for sharing this easy and tastey receipe….
Lucky Lucky
U dint mention salt
SHARMILEE J
Updated now!
sathya
I tried this today.. Nice chutney for dosa
Roopa
Tried the chutney became out really well. Thanks for sharing!
viji
Looking yummy.