Red Chutney for Masala dosa is a specialized chutney used in preparing Mysore Masala Dosa. This zesty chutney, made with shallots, garlic, red chillies, and channa dal, serves as a flavouring layer inside the dosa and chefs pair it with a potato mixture.
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Red Chutney for Masala Dosa
Red Chutney for Masala dosa, as the name suggests, is a chutney that is prepared specifically for elevating the taste of masala dosa to a spicy one. People specifically use this chutney when making Mysore Masala dosa. Using this chutney inside the dosa is the only difference between masala dosa and Mysore masala dosa.
The red chutney’s bright red colour comes from the use of Byadagi red chillies and roasted chana dal. The use of Channa dal also renders this chutney thick, making it easy to spread on the inside of the dosa.
There are several ways that people make this chutney, but this recipe is one that I use every single time. I do not use coconut in the chutney as any chutney with coconut is not easily spreadable. I’ve also made chutney without the use of chana dal, but it gets a little too watery and softens the dosa.
I try to make masala dosa at least twice a month and I make extra so that we can smear it on plain dosa the next day.
Ingredients to make Mysore Masala Dosa Red Chutney
Dried Red Chillies – You can use any dried red chillies but byadagi chillies are the best. They have a nice colour as well as a little heat to them.
Channa dal – You will need 2 tablespoons of channa dal for this recipe. It usually lasts for one breakfast session and maybe a little left over for 1 or 2 dosas the next day.
Garlic – Garlic adds that special zing to the chutney, so the more you add, the more zing. But it’s best to not overdo it since you don’t want to be left with a garlicky taste in your mouth. I am using 6-7 cloves of garlic (the small ones that we get in India. If you have big bulbs of garlic, just one will suffice). I usually buy peeled garlic that’s readily available in local shops.
Onion – For this recipe, I’ve used one medium-sized onion. The onion, when lightly roasted, gives a slight sweet taste while retaining the pungency too. Alternatively, you can use sambar onions or shallots too. They give a slightly sweetish taste to the chutney.
Tamarind – A small piece, the size on a one rupee coin is enough. Soak the tamarind in some warm water for 5 minutes. You can then squeeze out the pulp and keep that ready. The tamarind brings a nice sour flavour to the chutney. You can also use ready-to-use tamarind extract, but make sure to only use 1/2 tsp of it since it might be really concentrated.
How to make Red Chutney for Masala Dosa?
The first step is to soak the tamarind is some warm water for five minutes. After five minutes, you can squeeze the pulp from the tamarind and keep it aside.
Peel and chop the onions, remove the skin from the garlic pods and keep them both aside.
You start off with toasting the red chillies on a low heat until it crisps up. This process should take about a minute or two. Transfer the red chillies on to a plate.
The next step is to add the channa dal and roast it until it’s a light golden colour. Once done, transfer to the same plate as the red chillies.
Add a drop of oil to the same pan and add the garlic and chopped onions. Toast it for a couple of minutes – doing this helps in removing some of the pungency from both these alliums. After you see a little colour on the onions, you can turn off the heat. Add it to the same plate as the other ingredients.
Once all the ingredients are cool, add them to the mixer jar along with salt and the tamarind extract. Blend till you have a smooth chutney.
You can use this Red Chutney for Masala dosa, plain dosa, Adai or even pesarattu as a way to elevate the taste.
Storage and Shelf Life
Red chutney for Masala dosa stays fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. Once you remove it from the fridge, use all the chutney up. You can store the chutney in an airtight steel or glass container.
I, however, recommended making small quantities of this chutney and use it fresh for your Mysore masala dosas.
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Recipe for Masala Dosa Chutney
Red Chutney for Mysore Masala Dosa
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Channa Dal
- 5-6 Red Chillies
- 6-7 cloves Garlic small ones
- 1 Onion medium sized
- 1 peice Tamarind coin sized (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the tamarind in some warm water, peel and dice the onions, and remove the skin from the cloves of garlic. After five minutes, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind and keep aside.
- Place a pan on a low flame and add the Channa dal. Roast the Channa dal until golden brown. Transfer to a plate once done.
- In the same pan, take 4-5 red chillies or more (if you wish) and roast until the chillies turn crispy. It makes it easier to grind when the red chillies are crispy. Transfer to the plate.
- Next come the cloves of garlic. You can roast them for under a minute just to take away the hit of rawness from the garlic. Transfer to the plate.
- Add the diced onions and roast them for about 30 seconds. You do not need to cook them all the way.
- Once done, transfer to the plate and allow all ingredients to cool down. Then add the cooled ingredients to a mixer jar.
- Grind them all together with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the tamarind. Add very little water as you want to retain the thickness of the chutney. It becomes easy to spread the chutney in the dosa when it is thick. If the chutney is watery, the dosa will be damp and soft, thereby taking away the crispness.
- Transfer to a clean container.Use this delicious red chutney as a spread inside your masala dosas or even plain dosas.
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