How To Make South-Indian Style Tomato Chutney, And 5 Snacks To Pair It With

We all have our pet peeves, right? Well, I seem to have a huge problem with South Indian eateries that do not serve the spicy tomato chutney along with idli, dosas and vadas. No amount of sambar refills could make up for the void of chutneys, be it coconut or tomato. Tomato chutney has an interesting place in India's culinary map. In Bengal, the chutney is slightly sweet and almost translucent-looking. In Bihar, you would find tomato chokha, the chutney-like accompaniment made with roughly chopped tomatoes. In South India, tomato chutney is one of the three primary accompaniments that is served with a range of South Indian snacks be it dosa, vada or uttapam.  You can also pair it with comfort meals like lemon rice or curd rice.

This chutney is spicy, it is sharp and bursting with flavours. The good thing is that it is very easy to make at home (guess we need not feel so offended by the shop owner denying us our tomato chutney, anymore?)

(Also Read: Uttapam And Coconut Chutney: A Must-Try South Indian Combo For A Fulfilling Breakfast (Recipe Video)

South Indian Tomato Chutney Recipe:

To make this tomato chutney, you would need a handful of common ingredients like tomatoes, mustard seeds, curry leaves, salt, chillies, ginger, garlic and black cloves. A very important tip, tomatoes always go towards the fag end and not right in the start. You can roughly chop the onions and peel them beforehand. Start with sauteeing mustard seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic cloves and chopped ginger in oil. Then add tomatoes to make a mushy mix. Follow it up with spices like red chilli powder, black pepper, salt, sugar and vinegar. Mix well, and serve.

You can find the step-by-step recipe of South Indian Tomato Chutney here.

You can pair this chutney with these 5 dishes:

Dosa

Crispy or non-crispy, stuffed or plain, dosas and tomato chutney are a match made in heaven. We bet you are getting up for that second helping. Click here for the recipe.

Idli

Soft and puffy rice cakes would never seem bland with a dollop of this spicy, tangy chutney on the side. Click here for the recipe.

Idli are soft and puffy rice cakes 

Vada

Anything as crispy as vada calls for a partner that is equally stellar, this tomato chutney is that perfect combination you have been looking for. Click here for the recipe.

(Also Read:11 Best Indian Chutney Recipes | Easy Chutney Recipes)

Medhu vada calls for a partner that is equally stellar,

Uttapam

This savoury pancake is traditionally made with a rice batter and topped with chopped onions and chillies. This toothsome chutney will make the meal even more wholesome. Click here for the recipe.

Khichdi

As bizarre as it may sound, but the combination actually works wonders. This hot chutney could amp up the flavour of your bland khichdi. Click here for the recipe.

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If you know some interesting dishes that go well with tomato chutney, then do let us know in the comment section below.