Thakkali Chutney | Tangy Tomato Chutney | Tamilnadu-style chutney varieties
I can run my blog for years just by thinking of the various chutney recipes we make in our home. Chutneys not just for dosa and idly, but for bajji, bonda, vada, adai, paniyaram, rice etc. That’s why I cannot stop posting chutney recipes in my blog. So this month, this Thakkali chutney recipe (Tomato chutney) gets a place in the blog.
Every time I write about a recipe in my blog, I consider it like introducing an esteemed Chief Guest for a big show or an event, so that I can sing the praises of the chief guest before he/she takes over the stage 
. But for this Tomato chutney recipe I won’t be the right host to compliment about it. My sister can do a better job to describe about this chutney’s taste because she ALWAYS demands for this thakkali chutney at home. This chutney is one of the most favorites of our uncle too. He likes it very much that he adamantly demands for this tomato chutney if we already have two to three varieties of other chutneys ready for Idly and Dosa. He likes it this way; he soaks the dosa in this thakkali chutney for a minute or two and then enjoys the drenched dosa. Well, if you want to check if This Chief Guest is worth the praises I sang then, try the recipe yourself. Learn and share the truth. [You’ll only end singing its praise 
].
How to make Tomato chutney (South-Indian Thakkali Chutney) – with step by step pictures. [Click each image to enlarge the photo]
Step 1. Set the ingredients ready in the kitchen table. Wash, peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves. Wash and chop the tomato. Wash and cut the green chilies. Wash and chop the cilantro.
Step 2. Heat a dry wok in medium flame. Add oil. [Optional - When the oil is hot, add the whole-garam-masala (bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves). Once the garam masala releases their flavor (should take 5-8 seconds), continue to step 3. If you do not prefer to add curry masala stuff then continue to Step 3. ] 
Step 3. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter completely, add urid dal, fennel seeds and cumin seeds. 
Step 4. Follow by adding the onions, garlic (optional), chili and curry leaves. Sauté them until the onions turn soft and transparent (should take 3 minutes). Then add the tomatoes. 
Step 5. Follow by adding salt, turmeric powder and chilly powder. 
Step 6. Mix them well and close the vessel leaving the lid slightly ajar. Let it stay for a minute or two. 
Step 7. Open the lid, the tomatoes will be soft, easy to mash. Mash them and let it stay in stove for a minute or until it looses its raw smell. 
Step 8. Add water and mix well. Let the chutney boil. 
Step 9. Once the chutney reaches your desired consistency, switch off the stove. Add the cilantro. Mix well. Check salt. [See 3Ts section for more tips]. 
Step 10. Serve with idlis and dosas
**
3Ts [ Tips | Tricks | Tactics ] to make tomato chutney (Thakkali Chutney)**
Bringing the chutney to the right consistency is the trick in this chutney. Don’t add too much water.
Remember the trick of adding ildy/dosa batter to the chutney? Yes, that trick works best for this tomato chutney. Add just a tbsp. of idly batter to enhance the taste and the consistency of the chutney. [add it in step 9, before switching off the stove. Lower the flame and let it sit for a minute.Then add the coriander leaves].
Using ripe tomatoes gives nice tanginess to the chutney.
Naatu thakkali (Country tomato) works best for this chutney recipe.
Small onions (pearl onions/chinna vengayam) give added taste. But you can substitute it by using big onions.
Adding the whole-garam-masala is completely optional but they sure add value to the taste.
This chutney goes best with Dosa and Idly. Since the chutney has a good amount of tanginess associated, it suits best for the dosa and idly even if the batter did not ferment very well.
We like to have the chutney a little watery in consistency.
How do you feel when you intentionally get drenched in the summer rain? Hmmm, that’s how your taste buds will feel when you make them drenched in this tasty tomato chutney 
.
_[ex..excuse me…if anybody there wondering about why are there no display pictures of the end product. The truth is we were very hungry and ate it fully 
. Sorry, will produce the pictures when I make the chutney next time.]
Tomato Chutney {without grinding}
- PREP TIME: 3 min
- COOK TIME: 15 min
- TOTAL TIME: 18 min
- YIELD: 2
- DIFFICULTY: easy
- RECIPE TYPE: Dip/Sidedish for Idli/dosai
Ingredients:
- Tomato [chopped] – 1 ¼ cups
- Shallots/chinna vengayam (can substitute with big onion) [chopped] – ¾ cups
- Green Chilies – 3
- Turmeric powder/manjal thool – ¼ tsp.
- Salt –as per your taste
- Water – 1 ½ cups
- *\ For tempering chutney ***
- Mustard seeds/kadugu – ¼ tsp.
- Urid dal/uluthamparuppu – ¼ tsp.
- Cumin seeds/Jeeragam – ¼ tsp.
- Fennel seeds/Sombu – ¼ tsp.
- Oil – 2 tbsp. [ I use sesame/gingelly oil]
- *\ Other optional ingredients ***
- Curry leaves [optional] – 1 spring
- Garlic cloves /poondu pallu [optional] – 2
- Fresh coriander leaves/Cilantro/kothamalli [Optional] – 1/8 cups
- Red Chilly powder [optional] – ¼ tsp.
- Cinnamon/pattai [optional] – very small bit
- Cloves/Krambu/lavangam [optional] – 1 or 2
- Bay leaf/Biryani ilia [optional] – a small bit
- Elachi/Cardamom [optional] – 1
_Mangala from Cooking.Jingalala.Org Eat Well !