Ginger Chutney
This Ginger Chutney is a blended mixture of coconut, ginger, onion, green chillies, tamarind and garlic. Awesome with South Indian snacks such as Biscuit Ambades, Idli or Dosa.
What it lacks in looks, this Ginger Chutney/condiment makes up in taste! With a good balance of flavour, spice and tang, this simple chutney is a much loved condiment that my family craves for.
This delicious Ginger Chutney can be prepared in 20 minutes if you have a blender or similar appliance. It is made by blending grated fresh coconut/shredded coconut, ginger, onion, green chillies, tamarind, garlic and salt to a smooth paste. That's it! This chutney does not need tempering however, you can temper it with curry leaves and mustard seeds, if you prefer it tempered. I like mine without the tempering.
It's a no fuss condiment that pairs perfectly with Biscuit Ambades|Medu Vadas. You can also serve it with idli or dosa. I also like it with my conji from time to time. It just perks up the simplest of your dhal and rice meal.
There are many versions of Ginger Chutney and this chutney varies from region to region. Each household has their own version, so as such, I would not like to call it an authentic Ginger Chutney. This is an example of a Ginger Chutney that some Mangalorean Catholic households would make to pair with home made snacks such as idli, dosa (polay), sanna, batata vada or biscuit ambade.
This is the chutney that my mum used to make to serve with ambades and has travelled with me all the way from India and stayed with me for over 3 decades. It's my family's favourite chutney with deep fried snakcs such as Biscuit Ambade|Medu Vada, idli and dosa. The added bonus is, if there is any leftover, you can savour a plate of conji with this chutney for that homely conji breakfast!! Now does that sound familiar??
EASY STEPS FOR MAKING GINGER CHUTNEY with photos
- A blender or similar appliance - I use the chutney attachment of my 'Preethi' blender which blends only in 2 or 3 minutes. You can also use the bigger jar which blends masalas for this purpose. Both work well. You can use any blender that blends Indian spices.
- Freshly grated coconut - you can also use frozen fresh coconut or shredded coconut. I bought frozen fresh coconut from my local Indian supermarket. The brand is Daily Delight Fresh Frozen Coconut.
- Fresh ginger - fresh ginger gives a good flavour to this chutney. If you do not have fresh ginger, you may use a 2-3 tsp. ginger paste. If you use ginger paste, the flavour of the chutney will be slightly different.
- Onion - Onion adds volume and a little pungency. You can add one small sliced or diced onion.
- Fresh green chillies - Fresh green chillies add a nice spice to the chutney along with flavour. If your chillies are very hot, then remove seeds and add to the blender. If your chillies are medium spicy, then you can add them with the seeds.
- Tamarind - Tamarind is a souring agent used in South Indian cooking. It gives a nice tang to chutnies, curries or other dishes. It comes in a solid form and must be softened before use. Soak the tamarind in ¼ cup hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the pulp, discard the seeds and the fibre and add only the pulp to the blender. Alternatively, add 1-2 tsp. tamarind paste (available in your local Indian supermarket).
- Fresh garlic - Fresh garlic adds a little flavour however, if you are not a fan of garlic, then you may omit it. Further, garlic aids digestion, so if you can tolerate it, its good.
- Salt - Finally, a little salt to bring up the flavours of all the ingredients.
Place all the ingredients in the chutney attachment of your blender or the larger jar including the tamarind pulp. Add ¼ cup water. Blend to a smooth paste. It only takes 2 or 3 minutes, depending on the capacity of your blender. I have used fresh frozen grated coconut as per the image below. This coconut is very good!
Onion, green chillies, tamarind, garlic, ginger, salt and coconut
Ingredients in the blender ready to be blended
Ginger Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 cup 100g freshly grated coconut
- 2 tbsp. fresh ginger roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion roughly sliced 75g
- 2-3 green chillies or to taste
- Marble size ball of tamarind
- 1 small garlic clove
- ¾ tsp. salt or to taste
Instructions
- If your tamarind has seeds and fibre, soak the tamarind in a small bowl in ¼ cup hot water for 20 minutes before proceeding to prep other ingredients. Squeeze the pulp and use only the pulp and any remaining juices. Discard the seeds and fibre.
- Place all the ingredients into a blender or similar appliance including the tamarind pulp. Add ¼ cup water. Blend to a fine paste. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
- Serve with Biscuit Ambade|Medu Vada, idli or dosa.
Notes
- I have used fresh frozen grated coconut from my local Indian supermarket. You may use freshly grated coconut or use desiccated coconut or shredded coconut. If you are using desiccated or shredded coconut, please adjust the consistency of water to suit your blender.
- This chutney is fairly thick and does not need tempering. Use minimal water for blending as this is not a runny chutney.
- This chutney works well as a condiment for a vegetarian meal of rice, dhal and papads. If you are feeling unwell and want to have conji, this chutney is a great taste enhancer.
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
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5 star and more for this simple chutney. Loved by my sons, who are generally fussy when it comes to coconut chutneys. The flavor and taste of this condiment can make the simplest meal feel majestic. Must try!
Thank you so much. Thrilled to hear that your sons loved my ginger chutney. Great to hear your feedback and appreciation!