Onion Chutney | Side Dish For Idli/Dosa

Friends don't be surprised to see today's post coming from a Bengali gal :-) Ever since I have shifted to Chennai I am learning new local recipes. Credit goes to my son who has 3 tiffin breaks in his school and whenever he has something interesting he come back home with a funny description. Lunch box can break the ice if two friends had fight just few periods back :-)  I generally give him plain Dosa or Idli as Sambar becomes a challenging job for me. He spills it in his lunch carry bag so only give him ketchup sauce if it not masala dosa. 

One fine day he asked if I can give him orange looking chutney which is generally served in restaurants here. So I took help from local friends and made it for him.  Now he’s teacher is pleased that his student has blended well amongst his classmates during lunch time and he too has developed a taste for ethnic South Indian food and snacks and I appreciate his Class Teacher to educate the benefits of healthy food and harmful effects of junk food to the students. Madam, if you are reading it Kudos to you!

Ingredients:

1 cup Small Onion (shallots)

5-6 Dry Red chillies

1 tbsp Urad dal

Tamarind , small lemon size (I like little tangy so I add generously)

Salt to taste

Sesame Oil as required or you can use any vegetable oil

Tempering:

1 tsp Oil

A pinch of Asafoetida 

A spring of Curry leaves

1/2 Urad Dal

Method:

Wash the shallots properly and soak in warm water for some time, this will help to remove the skin easily.

Take little oil in a heavy bottom pan, add urad dal seeds and fry for few seconds. Add dry red chillies and  fry for another minute. Now take out both from the pan and keep aside. In the same pan add shallots and keep stirring until shallots turn golden brown.

 Turn off the flame and let this cool down. Transfer shallots, chilli-urad dal seeds into a coffee grinder and add small ball of tamarind in it. 

Add salt to taste and grind this to form a smooth paste. Sprinkle some water if it is too thick for you. Now transfer prepared chutney to a serving bowl and temper with items under 'tempering' and serve with Idli /Dosa or with any fried item.