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Kara Chutney Recipe For Dosa Idli | How To Make Kara Chutney
Kara chutney is an easy and quick chutney recipe. This is a very simple and quick chutney you can make for your idli or dosa.
This chutney can also be used as a dip with other appetizers also. Well, I must say this is a quick alternative to our traditional coconut chutney for Idli & dosa.
This is made with 5 – 6 simple ingredients that are available in every Indian kitchen. Basically this is a spicy tomato sauce. For flavoring add urad dal, curry leaves and tamarind.
This goes really well with any South Indian dish in fact. I have made this recently for my ragi adai, ragi idli, rava idli, and rava paniyaram. It tastes heavenly with any of these items.

You can also try my peanut chutney for your idli and dosa and more such items. This one is also a quick chutney.
If you are looking for some chutney or dips for your appetizers, then read my cilantro curd dip, evergreen coriander chutney, Thai sweet chilli dip.
How to make Kara Chutney?
Heat some oil in a pan. Add 1 tsp of urad dal and chana dal and Kashmiri red chillies or any dry red chillies. When dal becomes fragrant, add onions. Saute till translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes. Cook till soft and tender.
Then transfer to a blender. Add salt and tamarind. Wait for it to cool completely before blending. Blend it to a fine puree.

Now prepare to temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, lentils, and hing. Add this to kara chutney. You may like to dilute the chutney as per the consistency you need.
Recipe Card for Kara Chutney
Kara Chutney Recipe For Idli & Dosa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Dhuli Urad Dal
- 1 tsp Chana dal
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 5 – 6 dry red chilies
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp Salt (or as per taste)
- 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
For tempering
- 1 tsp oil
- pinch of hing
- 1 tsp lentils (urad dal + chana dal)
- 8 – 10 curry leaves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
Instructions
- heat oil in a pan. Add lentils and red chillies and saute till fragrant.
- Then add chopped onions and saute till translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it's soft and cooked well.
- Let it cool for some time.
- Transfer it to a blender and blend it to fine paste.
- Add little water if it's very thick. (after blending)
- Prepare tempering with the ingredients mentioned above for tempering.
- Pour into the chutney.
- Kara chutney is ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Alonna
Hi Ipsa,
This recipe looks delicious. Question: what does the word kara mean in this context?
Thanks!
Ipsa Faujdar
Hi Alonna,
Kara means spicy. This is a South Indian origin recipe (Chettinad recipe) that is spicy and tangy. Dry red chillies make the chutney/ sauce hot. You can adjust the quantity as per taste.
I hope you liked the recipe. Thanks.