Kara Chutney | Vengaya Chutney | Onion Chutney | How to make Onion Chutney at home | Stepwise Pictures | Quick and Easy Recipe | Vegan and Glutenfree

Hi Supermoms,

'Kara' means 'Spicy', and true to the name, this chutney is a Spicy and tangy one. Shallots and Onions are pan roasted along with chillies and they are processed along with tamarind.    Final touch is given to the chutney by tempering it with spices. Whenever you order  Idli/dosa in any restaurant, you are generally served two chutneys as accompaniments along with Sambar and Milagai podi . One is the coconut chutney and the second is this Kara/Vengaya Chutney.  

Adding shallots is the secret ingredient to get tasty Kara Chutney. 

Kara Chutney/Vengaya Chutney :

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves : 4

Special Equipment/Vessel : Mixer/food processor, ladle, small pan

Ingredients :

20 shallots 

2 Onions (roughly chopped)

1 small tomato

6-7 dry chillies ( adjust according to heat of chillies)

3-4 garlic pods ( optional)

Marble size dry tamarind or 1 teaspoon thick tamarind pulp

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

salt to taste

To Temper :

2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 dry red chill( if using long variety, tear roughly)

1 sprig curry leaves ( tear roughly)

Note: I have used sesame oil, but you can always use the oil you usually use for cooking.

Also, Shallots add to the taste of this chutney. But shallots are not easily available everywhere. So if you are omitting the shallots, increase the  number of onions to 3.

I have used salem gundu milagai variety for this recipe. So I used 7 chillies. 

Method:

1. Heat a teaspoon oil in a pan/wok and add the onions, shallots, dry red chillies, garlic pods(if using) .

2. On low flame, let them cook till the onions turn transparent and the tomatoes mushy. It will take appoximately 7-8 minutes. 

3. Switch off and let it cool.

4. Process it in a mixer along with the tamarind  to make a puree , adding little water ( approximately 1/4 cup ).

TIP: Do remember to add the tamarind.

5. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

6. Heat oil for tempering in the same pan. 

7. Add mustard seeds and dry red chilli.

8. When the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves and switch off.

9. Pour this into the chutney.

Your Kara Chutney/Onion Chutney is ready to be served along with Idli, Dosa  or Upma. I served it along with Adai , another popular South Indian Crepe. I also love serving it with Ven Pongal/Ghee Pongal. 

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom