# Coconut chutney, the one on every plate

Source: https://howtomakedosa.com/coconut-chutney/
Updated: 2026-09-25

White, thick enough to hold a ridge on the spoon, and sharp with green chilli. It takes 10 minutes and a blender. The only thing to get right is the water.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Makes | 250 g |
| Servings | 4 |
| Total | 10 min |
| Keeps | 1 day |

## What goes in

Enough for 8 dosas, or 4 people.

| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grated coconut | 100 g | Fresh, or frozen and fully thawed. For desiccated, see below. |
| Roasted chana dal | 20 g | Sold as pottukadalai, dalia or roasted gram. Thickens the chutney and stops it separating. |
| Green chillies | 2 | About 6 g. Three for hot. |
| Ginger | 5 g | Peeled. |
| Salt | 3 g | Fine. |
| Water | 120 ml | Room temperature. Added in two parts. |
| Coconut oil | 10 ml | For the tempering. |
| Black mustard seeds | 2 g | About ½ teaspoon. |
| Urad dal | 3 g | Turns gold and nutty in the tempering. |
| Dried red chilli | 1 | Broken in half. |
| Curry leaves | 8 | Fresh. |
| Asafoetida | 1 pinch | Optional. |

**Desiccated coconut:** Use 60 g of unsweetened desiccated coconut instead of 100 g fresh. Soak it in 80 ml of just-boiled water for 15 minutes, then grind it with the soaking water and only 60 ml more.

## Making it

### 1. Grind

Put the coconut, roasted chana dal, green chillies, ginger and salt in the blender with **80 ml** of the water. Grind, scrape down the sides, then add the remaining **40 ml** and grind again.

- Mixer grinder: **2 bursts of 20 s**, scrape between
- High-speed blender: **15 s** on medium
- Texture: fine, with a slight grain. Not a smooth paste

**Ready when:** It drops from the spoon slowly, like thick yogurt, and holds a ridge on the plate. Too thick to drop: add 10 ml of water at a time. Runny: grind in another 10 g of roasted chana dal.

Scrape it into a bowl.

### 2. Temper

Heat the coconut oil in a small pan until it shimmers. Add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the urad dal and red chilli and stir until the dal is gold. Add the curry leaves and asafoetida, which will spit, then pour everything straight over the chutney.

- Oil: about **170 °C** (340 °F)
- Mustard seeds pop: **15–20 s**
- Urad dal to gold: **20–30 s**
- Curry leaves: **5 s**, until they stop spitting

Stir the tempering in just before serving.

## Keeping it

Fresh coconut spoils fast. Chutney that smells sour or cheesy has gone off, even if it looks fine.

- Room temperature: **4 hours**
- Refrigerated, covered: **1 day**
- Frozen, untempered: **1 month**. Thaw in the fridge and temper after

### Why does my coconut chutney separate into water and solids?

Too much water for the amount of roasted chana dal. The dal binds the chutney. Grind in 10 g more, and keep the water to 120 ml for 100 g of coconut.

### Can I make coconut chutney without roasted chana dal?

Yes, using 15 g of roasted peanuts instead, which changes the flavour slightly. Without either, the chutney will separate within an hour.

### Why is my chutney grey instead of white?

The brown skin from the coconut was grated along with the flesh, or the chutney was ground too long and warmed. Grate only the white part, and grind in short bursts.

## Keep going

- [Sambar](https://howtomakedosa.com/sambar/): Tiffin sambar: toor dal, tamarind and shallots in grams, thinner than the sambar you eat with rice.
- [Masala dosa](https://howtomakedosa.com/masala-dosa/): The potato masala in grams, and when to fill and fold so the shell stays crisp.
- [Idli](https://howtomakedosa.com/idli/): The same batter, not thinned, steamed for 10–12 minutes. What makes idli soft instead of dense.
- [Rava dosa](https://howtomakedosa.com/rava-dosa/): The instant one: no soaking or fermenting, and a watery batter poured from a height to make the holes.