Name: Easy Coconut Chutney Recipe (Thengai Chutney | Nariyal Chutney)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 7 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Fresh Coconut ((grated, packed & measured)); ¼ cup Roasted Gram Dal | Pori Kadalai | Pottu Kadalai; 4 no Green Chillies; 2 cloves Garlic (peeled); 1 inch Ginger (peeled and sliced); Salt to ( taste); Water as needed; 1 tbsp Coconut Oil; 1 tsp Mustard Seeds; 1 tsp Split White Urad dal; 1 sprig Curry Leaves

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Coconut Chutney is a popular south indian condiment which is served during breakfast with iidli, dosa, paniyaram, masala dosa, pongal and vada. Learn how to make different variation of the classic coconut chutney easily with my step by step guide to detailed recipe and pictures.

Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney takes place in our breakfast menu quite often, whole family loves coconut chutney. I make quite a few variations to it each time. I have covered all the variation of the chutney which I make in this recipe post of coconut chutney.

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About Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
Step by Step Pictures
Expert Tips
FAQ
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About Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney | Thengai Chutney | Nariyal Chutney is one of the most popular south indian chutney variety. Typically served during breakfast. But let's not forget that this classic condiment pairs well with snacks like pakora and vada.

Coconut chutney is made with coconut, green chillies or red chillies, garlic, roasted gram dal, salt. A essential tempering is given with coconut oil, mustard, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves which adds a nutty note to the chutney.

Along with this recipe, make sure you check my capsicum, onion, tomato chutney varieties too.

Coconut chutney is traditionally made using fresh coconut. Whole coconut is broke using a special tool named as "vettu kathi" which looks like a heavy duty iron knife. Freshly cracked coconut is scraped or use a knife to remove the flesh from coconut.

Similar Recipes

In some areas fresh coconut is not available, in which case you can use frozen coconut or desiccated coconut. To make coconut chutney using frozen or dried coconut, You should be doing some modifications to the recipe.

Desiccated coconut : Dried coconut doesn't have the moisture content to make chutney smooth. Also coconut chutney made with desiccated coconut will be grainy. So you can try making my roasted coconut chutney.

Frozen coconut: scrape fresh coconut and store in an air tight container. You can store the container in freezer and preserve more than a month. For making chutney, Take frozen coconut and other ingredients given in the recipe as mentioned in a blender. Use hot water for grinding the chutney which results in smooth coconut chutney.

coconut chutney served with rava kichadi

Ingredients

Fresh Coconut - Make sure you use freshly grated coconut (nariyal) when making coconut chutney. Also make sure when scraping coconut don't scrape the brown part of the shell which discolour the coconut chutney.
Roasted Gram Dal - Roasted gram dal, also known as udacha kadalai | pottu kadalai | pori kadalai is used in hotel style coconut chutney for giving creaminess and texture to the chutney. Some people like to add cashews in their coconut chutney for richness.
Green Chillies - Green chillies is used in hotel style coconut chutney. but dry red chillies can be used in certain version (recipe below). Also you can add more of less green chillies as per your taste.
Garlic & Ginger - Some people like to add ginger and garlic to enhance the taste of the coconut chutney. Fresh ginger and garlic adds wonderful aroma to the chutney.
Tempering Spices - Tempering is one of the main step in making the best coconut chutney. Frying whole spices like mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, dry red chillies, curry leaves in hot oil. This hot oil is poured over freshly ground nariyal ka chutney.
Optional Ingredients like shallots, chilli powder, curry leaves, onions, is added when grinding coconut chutney.

Step by Step Pictures

1)Crack open fresh coconut, You can grate the coconut through coconut scraper or use a knife to remove the coconut meat from it.

2)Take freshly grated coconut in a blender jar.

3)Add in green chillies. You can use dry red chillies instead of green chillies. Add as much as you like.

4)Add in roasted gram dal | pottu kadalai. This is mainly for thickening.

5)Add salt to taste. You can add more once the chutney is blended.

6)Add in peeled and sliced ginger and peeled garlic. These two provide aroma and taste to the chutney.

7)Add very little water and grind to a smooth paste. Transfer this to a bowl.

8)Add more water to adjust the consistency. Mix well and set aside. At this point taste and adjust the salt.

8)Now make tempering. Heat coconut oil in a small tadka pan. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. You can add dry red chillies as well.

tempering mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves

9)Pour this over chutney and mix.

10)Serve

Expert Tips

Use fresh coconut when making coconut chutney. This results in the creamy and fragrant chutney.
Use required amount of green chillies when making chutney.
Garlic and ginger adds aroma so don't skip them.
For tempering use coconut oil for aroma.

Serving

Coconut Chutney is a popular South Indian breakfast dish which goes well idli, dosa, paniyaram, masala dosa, pongal, upma & Vada. I love to serve coconut chutney with piping hot rava kichadi.

How to Make Chutney Idli | Serving Idli with Coconut Chutney

Coconut chutney taste amazing when poured generously over mini idlies and served as chutney idli. It taste amazingly delicious and it is my favorite, I am still not sure why this didn't get as popular as sambar idli.

I followed the recipe of my coconut chutney given below made with roasted gram dal. Make sure you make chutney very runny. Add extra water when grinding coconut chutney. You might need to add extra green chillies and salt to the chutney. Make sure you give a tempering with coconut oil.

FAQ

Q: Can I make coconut chutney with frozen coconut?

The Answer is Yes you can make coconut chutney with frozen coconut. First Thaw the frozen coconut for at least 15 mins prior grinding. Use hot water when grinding the chutney to get smooth texture and to prevent the fats from coconut separating.

Q: How to Make Coconut Chutney White in Colour?

Try to use young tender coconut. Not so tender. it should be little young coconut.
Grate coconut till the white part alone. Don't scrape it too much so the grated coconut gets the brown shell parts.
Don't add anything except green chillies. That too very less green chillies.
Make seasoning using coconut oil and very less whole spices.

Q: How do you preserve coconut chutney for a long time?

Use fresh coconut for making coconut chutney.
When grinding the chutney make sure the blender doesn't heat up.
You can store coconut chutney in fridge upto 2 days.
Make sure you store it in fridge in an air tight container immediately after making to retain its freshness.

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If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @aarthi198689@gmail.com and I'll help as soon as I can.

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