The combination of tomato and onions can never go wrong. The duo can flavour up any dish. Tomatoes and onions, however, can also be made as a stand-alone dish. Tomato and Onion Chutney, for example, makes for a perfect dish that can be eaten for breakfast as an accompaniment with dosa or idli. It is both tasty and healthy and can be made quickly. So, no need to depend on commercial tomato sauces when Tomato And Onion Chutney can be made at home with easily available ingredients and with no preservatives.
The tomatoes and onions are chopped and cooked in split black lentils, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, a little bit of hing or asafoetida, curry leaves, salt, and tamarind juice. The cooked tomatoes and onions are then ground to a paste and served. The tangy and spicy dish, of thick, creamy, and smooth consistency can also be stored and kept in the fridge to be eaten over a few days.
Tomato and Onion Chutney also has a lot of room for experimentation. Different kinds of contrasting ingredients can be used such as raw or ripe mango, raisins, or even roasted peanuts.
Origin
Tomato and Onion Chutney is said to have originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is quite popular in South Indian cuisine as well. This dish is quite popular not just in India but also in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Ingredients
- 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon split black lentils
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 dry red chili
- A pinch of hing or asafoetida
- Sliced ginger (half)
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- Soaked tamarind in a little bit of water to extract juice
- Salt as per taste preference
- Refined oil
Method
- Heat two teaspoons of oil in a pan and add the hing, saute
- Add one teaspoon of split black lentils and saute for a few minutes
- Add one teaspoon of mustard seeds and one teaspoon of cumin seeds and saute well for a few minutes
- Saute all the ingredients till the split black lentils turn brown
- Add the curry leaves, the dry red chili, sliced ginger, and two to three peeled garlic cloves, and mix all well
- Add one cup of chopped onions and mix well
- Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well and wait till the tomatoes turn soft
- Add the tamarind juice and mix well, add salt as per taste preference and mix
- Take off the flame and let the cooked tomato and onion mixture turn tepid
- Once the mixture is slightly cooled down, make a paste of it in the mixie
- Serve the Tomato and Onion Chutney
The yummy Tomato and Onion Chutney go well with dosa/ idli/chapati or it can also be eaten with steamed rice. It can also be served as an accompaniment to vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebabs. It can be eaten for either breakfast or as a light lunch or dinner.
