Seven South Indian

Chutneys

That Make Everything Taste Better

Quick Summary

In ancient times, chutneys were concocted and consumed because of their therapeutic benefits alongside flavour. Ayurveda regarded chutneys as a means to balance the body. The medieval period also saw Mughal influence introducing nuts, dried fruits, and yoghurt into chutneys, while the British colonial era exported mango chutney to Europe, putting the staple Indian condiment on the global map. 

Deep Dive

South India calls their chutneys pachadi, and they are a lot of things, but never an afterthought. While there are South Indian chutney powders, like the beloved ‘podi’ made with lentils and sprinkled over everything from idlis, dosas, to rice, most chutneys are loved fresh and moist. 

The common ingredients, aside from the base or core component, that drive the flavour of South Indian chutneys are fenugreek, coriander, cumin, and asafoetida. Different chutneys have different flavours and are eaten for their specific properties, like ginger chutney, which has warming properties, and herb-based chutneys were historically used to aid digestion. More of these chutney favourites are listed below.

Coconut Chutney 

This is the most common South Indian chutney, made from fresh coconut. It is prepared by grinding coconut with green chillies, tamarind, garlic or ginger, and finished with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and urad dal. The most common variants are the white chutney flavoured with asafoetida, a green chutney with mint and coriander, and a red chutney with chillies and lentils. The fresh coconut is what dominates the flavour of this chutney, adding body to it. Each South Indian state makes it differently.

Ginger Chutney 

Called allam pachadi in Telugu, this ginger chutney from Andhra Pradesh is made with sautéed ginger mixed with tamarind, jaggery, red chillies, curry leaves, urad dal, turmeric, and asafoetida. The chutney has quite concentrated flavours of spiciness, sourness and sweetness. The fresh ginger gives it a distinct flavour, and it is used in small portions like a pickle rather than used generously like the coconut chutney. This special South Indian chutney is often eaten with Andhra-style pesarattu.