If you love the street side coconut chutney served with idli, dosa and vada, let me show you how easy it is to make it at home in 20 minutes. No fancy ingredients, no lengthy cooking times.

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coconut chutney for idli dosa in a bowl - 1
  • Coconut Chutney Ingredient Notes
  • How to make Anna style Coconut Chutney
  • Top Tip
  • Common Mistakes to Avoid and How to fix them
  • Related
  • Anna Style Coconut Chutney in 20 minutes.

Growing up in Mumbai, I often enjoyed the street side idli, dosa, vada and the coconut chutney that came with it, made everything taste so much better. After multiple efforts of trying to replicate it, looks like I finally nailed it, so I am super excited about sharing this recipe with you. It’s that perfectly creamy base with a nutty taste, and the perfect balance of sweet and spice.

Coconut Chutney Ingredient Notes

See recipe card for quantities.

  • Coconut - Ofcourse nothing like fresh coconut meat, however for convenience sake I always have some frozen coconut handy. I would not recommend, making this chutney with dry shelved desiccated coconut. It won’t taste anywhere close to anna style chutney.
  • Chana Dal - this acts as a binding agent between water and the coconut meat enhancing it’s consistency.
  • Peanuts - for that true anna style nutty flavor.
  • Chillies - green for the heat and red for the tempering. You can use any whole dry red chili or skip it completly.
  • Seasonings - Garlic, cilantro, salt, curry leaves, mustard seeds, tamarind water & oil for the enhanced flavor.
Anna Style Coconut Chutney for Idli Dosa - 2

How to make Anna style Coconut Chutney

  • Begin with heating oil in a pan.
  • Season it with curry leaves, chilies and garlic and roast on medium heat for a couple minutes.
  • Next add the peanut and the channa dal and roast for another couple minutes.
  • Then add coconut and roast for a couple minutes again. Followed by fresh cilantro and roast for another couple minutes.
  • Allow the mix to cool. Once cool, toss all the ingredients along with salt. Gradually add tamarind water and blitz to ger a smooth pourable consistency chutney.
  • Make sure to taste, adjust the salt and spice to your taste. Transfer the chutney in a bowl.
  • In another pan heat oil and temper it with mustard seeds and whole red chilies until they sizzle for a few seconds.
  • Pour the tempering over the chutney and gently stir, allowing some of the oil to remain on top.
  • Serve with Idlis , Dosas & Vadas.
how to make coconut chutney for idli dosa recipe - 3

Top Tip

  • Don’t skip roasting the channa dal and peanuts, or else the chutney will taste raw.
  • Don;t add all water at once while blitzing, add water gradually.

Common Mistakes to Avoid and How to fix them

Common mistakeResultHow to fix it
Adding too much water at onceChutney is runny and watery & doesn’t stick to idli dosaI start adding 1-2 tablespoons at a time until just thick and pourable
Using only coconut without nuts/channa dalChutney splits or feels too thin and oilyI always add roasted chana dal and/or peanuts for body and thickness
Skipping the temperingChutney tastes flat not street-likeI make a quick tadka with mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilli
Not grinding it for an appropriate timeChutney feels grainy and heavyI blend a bit longer, until the texture is smooth and creamy
Using very old or frozen-hard coconut or dry desiccated coconutChutney tastes dull and lacks freshnessIf using frozen coconut, I always thaw it before using it. I don’t use dry desiccated coconut at all
Soft and Spongy Idlis - 4

My Final Thoughts

This chutney will take you back to the street-side Anna Chutney. It’s spicy, tangy, savory and sweet all in one bite. My family absolutely devours it and I love that it’s so easy to make. I do hope you give this recipe a try and your family enjoys it as much as mine does. Don’t forget to come back and share your nostalgia experience with us here.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

  • Soft Spongy Idlis using Idli Rava
  • Crispy Masala Dosa & Dosa Batter Recipe
  • Crispy Indian Dosa recipe
  • How to Make Dosa Batter Perfectly
coconut chutney for idli dosa in a bowl - 5

Ingredients

  • 1 cup grated coconut fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup peanuts
  • ¼ cup channa dal
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 4 green chillies
  • 1 cup cilantro chopped
  • ½ cup tamarind water or add upto ¾ cup depending on the consistency you like

For Tempering

  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 3 whole red chilies optional
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

  • Begin with heating oil in a pan.
  • Season it with curry leaves, chilies and garlic and roast on medium heat for a couple minutes.
  • Next add the peanut and the channa dal and roast for another couple minutes.
  • Then add coconut and roast for a couple minutes again. Followed by fresh cilantro and roast for another couple minutes.
  • Allow the mix to cool. Once cool, toss all the ingredients along with salt. Gradually add tamarind water and blitz to ger a smooth pourable consistency chutney.
  • Make sure to taste, adjust the salt and spice to your taste. Transfer the chutney in a bowl.
  • In another pan heat oil and temper it with mustard seeds and whole red chilies until they sizzle for a few seconds.
  • Pour the tempering over the chutney and gently stir, allowing some of the oil to remain on top.

Video

Nutrition

coconut chutney for idli dosa in a bowl - 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup grated coconut fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup peanuts
  • ¼ cup channa dal
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 4 green chillies
  • 1 cup cilantro chopped
  • ½ cup tamarind water or add upto ¾ cup depending on the consistency you like

For Tempering

  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 3 whole red chilies optional
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

  • Begin with heating oil in a pan.
  • Season it with curry leaves, chilies and garlic and roast on medium heat for a couple minutes.
  • Next add the peanut and the channa dal and roast for another couple minutes.
  • Then add coconut and roast for a couple minutes again. Followed by fresh cilantro and roast for another couple minutes.
  • Allow the mix to cool. Once cool, toss all the ingredients along with salt. Gradually add tamarind water and blitz to ger a smooth pourable consistency chutney.
  • Make sure to taste, adjust the salt and spice to your taste. Transfer the chutney in a bowl.
  • In another pan heat oil and temper it with mustard seeds and whole red chilies until they sizzle for a few seconds.
  • Pour the tempering over the chutney and gently stir, allowing some of the oil to remain on top.

Video

Nutrition