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.
About Coconut Chutney Recipe
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.
I have shared a version of making hotel style coconut chutney along with 6 other version of making coconut chutney in this post so make sure you read till the end. Different versions of this coconut chutney pairs beautifully with our Indian breakfast dishes. So learn how to make this classic coconut chutney many different ways.
Along with this recipe, make sure you check my capsicum, onion, tomato chutney varieties too.
Watch Coconut Chutney Recipe Video
Coconut Chutney Ingredients
Coconut Chutney can be made many different ways. The most basic coconut chutney recipe is made with coconut, roasted gram dal, ginger & garlic(optional), green chillies, salt and a tempering is given.
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
Optional ingredients like shallots, chilli powder, curry leaves, onions, is added when grinding coconut chutney.
Which Coconut to use for Chutney
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. 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.
Serving Suggestions
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.
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.
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.
How to Make Coconut Chutney (Step-wise Pictures)
1)Take coconut in a blender jar.
2)Add in green chillies
3)Add in roasted gram dal | pottu kadalai.
4)Add salt to taste.
5)Add in ginger and garlic
6)Grind to a smooth puree
7)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.
9)Pour this over chutney and mix.
10)Serve
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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.
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.
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.
Coconut Chutney Variations
White Coconut Chutney Recipe
If you are wondering how they make the pure white coconut chutney in hotel. This is how. Some hotels make their coconut chutney usually with just green chillies and give minimum tempering to keep their chutney white.
- Take 1 cup coconut, 1 chilli, salt in a blender.Add little water and grind into a smooth paste.
- Make tempering, heat 1 tsp coconut oil, add ½ tsp mustard, ½ tsp urad dal and curry leaves.Pour this into the chutney and mix. Serve.
Coconut Chutney Recipe(Kerala Style)
This is a Quick coconut chutney recipe with shallots adds keralan flavors and taste to the chutney. It goes so well with dosa and idlis.
- Take all 1 cup coconut, 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 piece ginger, 4 garlic, 2 shallots and salt in a blender, add some water and blend it to a smooth paste.Transfer this to a bowl.
- Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a small kadai. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, curry leaves and 2 tbsp chopped shallots. Saute for a min or till the onions turn golden.
- Pour this over the chutney and mix well.Serve.
Red Coconut Chutney Recipe
Spicy red coconut chutney made with coconut, dry red chillies, garlic which is ground with salt and tamarind and gets a simple tempering.
- Take 1 cup coconut, 2 dry red chilli, 4 garlic, salt and a small piece tamarind in a blender and puree.
- Make tempering, heat 1 tbsp oil, add 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp chana dal and curry leaves.Pour this into the chutney and mix. Serve.
Green Coconut Chutney Recipe
Coriander coconut chutney is a flavourful way to make coconut chutney. Adding a bunch of fresh coriander leaves adds so much freshness to the chutney. Instead of coriander leaves you can add mint leaves too.
- Take 1 cup coconut, ½ cup coriander leaves, 3 green chilli, 1 piece ginger, salt and small piece tamarind in a blender and puree.
- Make tempering, heat 1 tbsp oil, add 1 tsp each of mustard, urad dal, cumin and curry leaves.Pour this into the chutney and mix. Serve.
Garlic Coconut Chutney Recipe
Looking for a coconut chutney that goes well with rice, Then this is the answer. Grind together 1 cup fresh coconut with 4 garlic, 4 dry red chillies and salt. Add minimal water and make this chutney pretty thick. This poondu thengai chutney goes well specially with neeragaram.
Grind together 1 cup fresh coconut with 4 garlic, 4 dry red chillies with salt. Use very little water when grinding. This chutney doesn't need any tempering.
Roasted Coconut Chutney Recipe
Roasting coconut when making coconut chutney gives a toasted aroma to your chutney. I specially make this when serving dosa for breakfast.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add in 4 dry red chilli and 3 tbsp urad dal and cook till golden. Add in 1 cup coconut, a small piece tamarind and toss well for 2 mins.
- Now take this in a blender, add salt to taste. Add little water at a time and puree till smooth.Serve with idli or dosa.
More Chutney Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Coconut Chutney Recipe | Thengai Chutney Recipe | Nariyal Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fresh Coconut (grated, packed & measured)
- ¼ cup Roasted Gram Dal | Pori Kadalai | Pottu Kadalai
- 4 Green Chillies
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 inch Ginger
- Salt to taste
- Water as needed
For Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Take all ingredients in a blender and make it into a fine puree by adding some water.
- Pour that into a bowl and adjust the consistency with water.
- Make tempering, heat oil and crackle mustard, urad dal and curry leaves.
- Pour this over the chutney and mix well.
- Serve with idly or dosa.
Video
Notes
-
- 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.
Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Hamaree Rasoi
Delicious and comforting to look at chutney. Excellent preparation.
Deepa
Anonymous
Muje coconut chutney Jo freeze kar sake n jabhi muje use karna hai freeze se nikal ke use kar saku waisi recipe chahiye pls help
Aarthi
@Anonymousenglish please
Anonymous
Aarthi anonymous is asking give her any such recipe of coconut chutney DAT can be preserved in fridge and used as an when required from it. Pls help she is saying.
Aarthi
@AnonymousCoconut chutney cannot be preserved. It will get spoiled soon.
Anonymous
Can we use small onions instead of garlic
Aarthi
@AnonymousNo garlic has to be used.
Anonymous
Very tasty n perfect chutney.. Thanks Aarti
gurleen kaur
Can dessicated coconut be used instead of fresh coconut?
Aarthi
@gurleen kaurno for chutney, use fresh
Surya Prakash
Nice & tasty coconut chatny may add coriander leaves for flavour?
Aarthi
@Surya Prakashyes u can add
Sasya
Thanks for the nice and tasty recipe.
Arthi can we use tamarind in this chutney
Aarthi
@Sasyatamarind is not needed. but if you want little tangyness you can add
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi,
Thank you for this recipe. Tried it, was really nice.
I used desiccated coconut soaked in hot water for 15 min as I did not have fresh ones and it was equally tasty.
Thanks.
Judy
hey aarthi,
Tried ur recipe and it was perfect..
Anonymous
First in ever i made white chtuney !!i normally make red chutney i felt this was easier n tastier as in red chutney i add small onions ( escaped from that part😆) it came out well n lil champ loved it well thank u aarthi !!
Ankush Patti
CAn we use dry coconut
Aarthi
@Ankush Pattiyes u can use
Joy C
Tried this version of chutney today. It was perfect. Thanks!
Anonymous
Hi Arti,
Just wanted to know the chana dal is the one we can eat in chewda right not the one which we need to soak and cook.
Anonymous
Traditionally we do not use garlic in coconut chutney and restaurants seldom do. A useful tip when grinding is to grind the roated gram dal (pottu kadalai) on its own without water before adding all the other ingredients to it. This gives the chutney more body.
Mukta
Coconut chutney came out very well . Thanks!!
AJ
Fantastic recipe. I made this with the medu vada recipe and it turned out delicious. Thanks for the pro tips and the meticulous attention to detail