🌿💚 Fresh curry leaves, roasted dal, coconut & tamarind — a wholesome, aromatic chutney you will keep making again and again!
🌿 Curry Leaves Chutney (Karuveppilai Thogayal)
This traditional South Indian chutney is made by roasting urad dal, red chilies, curry leaves & tamarind, then grinding with fresh coconut.
It’s nutritious, iron-rich, supports digestion, and tastes heavenly with hot rice + ghee or as a side for idli/dosa.
If you’re looking for a healthy homemade chutney recipe without onion and garlic, this one is a must-try!
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Cuisine: South Indian
- Course: Chutney / Side dish

Ingredients
- Curry leaves – 2 cups (washed & dried)
- Coriander leaves – 1 handful
- Urad dal – 3 tbsp (black or white)
- Dried red chilies – 12–15
- Tamarind – small lemon size
- Hing – pinch
- Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
- Salt – to taste
- Jaggery – small piece (optional but recommended)
- Water – little (to grind)
- Oil – 3 tbsp
👩🍳 Method
Prep
- Wash curry leaves & dry fully (no moisture)
Cook
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Add urad dal and roast until it starts to turn light brown.
- Add red chilies & roast until dal turns golden.
- Add curry leaves and saute until crispy.
- Add hing & tamarind, mix and switch off flame.
- Add grated coconut & coriander leaves — mix with heat off.
- Cool completely to room temperature.
Grind
- Transfer mixture to a mixer jar.
- Add salt and little water.
- Pulse + grind intermittently — chutney should be 75% smooth, with slightly coarse dal texture.
- Add jaggery & little more water, grind again lightly — do not over-blend.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with:
- Hot rice + ghee
- Idli / dosa
- Curd rice
- Millet dishes
Perfect for:
✅ Everyday meals
✅ Kids’ lunchbox
✅ Traditional South Indian thali
💡 Tips for Best Texture & Taste
- Roast dal until golden for flavour & aroma
- Curry leaves must turn crispy — key to flavour
- Grind in pulses to maintain slight coarse texture
- Adjust spice based on red chilli variety
- Add jaggery for balanced traditional taste
🔄 Variations
| Version | Change |
|---|---|
| Coconut-free | Skip coconut & add extra roasted dal |
| Spicy | Use Guntur chillies or add 1 tsp chili powder while grinding |
| Mild | Reduce red chilies & add more coriander leaf |
| Oil-free | Dry roast dal & chilies (flavour slightly varies) |
🥗 Nutritional Benefits
- Curry leaves improve digestion & iron absorption
- Urad dal provides protein & minerals
- Tamarind aids digestion & gut health
- Coconut gives healthy fats
🧊 Storage
- Store airtight in fridge — 2 days
- For longer shelf life — skip coconut & refrigerate up to 5 days
- Add hot rice + ghee + this chutney = heaven! 😍
A perfect immunity-boosting South Indian chutney.
A nutritious, earthy, authentic thogayal that brings traditional flavour to your plate.
Try it, save it, and share it! 💚
🎥 Video Tutorial
Comments
🌿 “Recipes & traditions, straight from the heart.”
