Last updated on May 22nd, 2025 at 10:07 am
Recipe for Onion Chutney - This Chinna Vengaya Chutney is completely made with pearl onions, tomatoes and a few spices. The spices are what makes this chutney stand out from regular chutney. It is really simple to make but super delicious and takes you directly to a chettinad kitchen. It pairs well with dosas and paniyarams and even idlis.
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I am not a big fan of eating cooked whole or chopped onions. But onion chutneys are my absolute favourite; we make them pretty often. One of those chutneys is this Chinna Vengaya Chutney/ Small onion chutney. This absolutely delicious recipe for onion chutney has been my mother's special chutney since I was a kid. She got this recipe from a neighbour and has been making it since.
This is one of those easy chutneys out there, easy but yet different from regular onion tomato chutneys. It is is a Chettinad style chutney that's uses a bit of spices making it unique enough to break the mundaneness. Let's see how to make it.
Recipe for Onion Chutney:
What goes into this:
- Onions: Small onions / Pearl Onions / Shallots / Sambar onions is the main hero ingredient of this chutney. As they are sauteed they caramelise as well and bring out a beautiful flavor and sweetness.
- Tomatoes: Two small heirloom tomatoes goes a long way here. It gives a perfect balance to this chutney and gives a touch of sourness.
- Coconut: This is added for some volume and texture. Gives a real nice nutty flavor too.
- Spices: Fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chillies are the spices added in this chutney and gives the best flavor.
- Tamarind for more sourness and sweetness. A touch if curry leaves.
Serving Suggestions for this onion chutney:
This recipe for onion chutney / Chinna vengaya chutney pairs really well with crisp dosas or uthappams or idlis or paniyarams. Serve it soon after you make and it needs no tempering with mustard and curry leaves. If you usually temper all your chutney, you can go ahead and do the same for this small onion chutney.
Tips to note:
- Tomatoes - If you don't have any heirloom tomatoes, replace it with roma tomatoes and increase the quantity of tamarind.
- Onions - This is a small onion chutney. But if you absolutely must, you can substitute it with big onions.
- This chutney can be served as it is. It doesn't require tempering.ย
- This onion chutney is best served immediately. However, leftover chutney can be stored for up to a day.
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- Tamil Style Black Chickpeas / Kondakadalai and Brinjal Curry
- The BEST Homemade Rasam Powder recipe
- Kollu (Horse Gram) Chutney Recipe - Coimbatore Style
- Thakkali/ Tomato Bajji Recipe in Instant Pot
Recipe for Onion Chutney | Chinna Vengaya Chutney
Equipment
- Saute Pan
- Blender
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Sesame Oil or Peanut Oil
- 1 teaspoon Kadala Paruppu/ Channa Dal
- 40 medium Pearl Onions , peeled and washed
- 6 cloves Garlic , peeled
- 1 teaspoon Ulundhu / Black Gram Dal
- 1 teaspoon Thuvaram Paruppu / Toor Dal
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds / Sombu
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds / Seeragam
- ยฝ teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds / Vendhayam
- 5 medium Dry Chillies , unshrivelled ones (see photo above)
- 2 medium Heirloom Tomatoes , (see notes)
- ยผ cup Grated Coconut , loosely packed (approx quarter of a half coconut)
- 1 marble sized Tamarind , or 1 teaspoon tamarind extract
- 1 teaspoon Rock Salt , adjust to taste
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Set up the saute pan or kadai on the stove on medium heat. Pour the oil and let it get hot.
- Once hot, add the kadala paruppu and sautรฉ until golden brown.
- Then add the pearl onions and garlic and sautรฉ until the shallots turn translucent. Next, add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and dried red chillies and sautรฉ stirring frequently so that seeds get the heat.
- Sautรฉ until the onions begin to brown around the edges. The add the tomatoes and sautรฉ until the tomatoes begin to become mushy. Quickly turn the heat off and add the coconut and give it a stir. Let it cool down.
- Once it has cooled down, transfer all of it to a blender. Add the tamarind, rock salt and curry leaves to it and blend until it becomes a smooth chutney.
- Serve it with dosas or idlis!
Notes
- Tomatoes - If you don't have any heirloom tomatoes, replace it with roma tomatoes and increase the quantity of tamarind.
- Onions - This is a small onion chutney. But if you absolutely must, you can substitute it with big onions.
- This chutney can be served as it is. It doesn't require tempering.ย
- This onion chutney is best served immediately. However, leftover chutney can be stored for up to a day.
Made this? Got doubts? Let me know what you think in the comments below!
nive says
great chutney for dosas!