Horse Gram Chutney Powder with Roasted Spices
Dry-roasted horse gram, urad dal, coconut, and red chillies ground into a fragrant spice powder. Tempered with mustard, asafoetida, and turmeric, this South Indian condiment pairs with idly, dosa, and rice. Made with Guntur or Byadgi chillies for heat and depth, stores up to six months in airtight containers.
Ingredients
- 1 cup horse gram, wholemoth bean1:1legumesvegetarianvegan
similar texture and earthiness
- ¼ cup black gram (split urad dal), whole
- ¼ cup dry coconut (kopra), unsweetenedfresh coconut1:1dairy-freevegetarianvegan
use freshly grated and lightly toasted
- ¼ cup red chilli (Guntur variety), whole dried
- 1 cup red chilli (Byadgi or Kashmiri variety), whole dried
- 1 big lemon size tamarind, cut into small pieces
- curry leaves, fresh
- 1 small piece jaggery(optional)
- salt
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp asafoetida (hing)
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil or coconut oil
Instructions
- 1
Dry roast horse gram in a frying pan on medium-low heat until aromatic and color changes, being careful not to over-roast. Cool on a plate.
- 2
In the same pan, dry roast urad dal separately until aromatic and light red. Cool on a plate.
- 3
Dry roast coconut on low flame until slightly crisp. Transfer to another plate.
- 4
Add oil to the pan and roast red chillies on low heat. Midway through, add curry leaves and continue roasting until both are crisp. Transfer to the plate with coconut.
- 5
Dry roast tamarind on low heat until crisp. Transfer to the plate with red chillies and let everything cool to room temperature.
- 6
Coarsely grind the dal in a blender and transfer to a large bowl.
- 7
Blend the mixture of red chillies, curry leaves, tamarind, and coconut with salt and jaggery until fine powder. Transfer to the bowl with dal.
- 8
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Add asafoetida and turmeric, then turn off heat. Pour the tempering over the powder and mix well.
- 9
Run the mixture through a blender for 1-2 rounds to ensure even distribution.
- 10
Store in airtight containers.
Tips
Do not over-roast horse gram to prevent bitterness.
Cool all ingredients completely before grinding to ensure proper powder texture.
Adjust salt and jaggery to taste before final blending.
Mix with ghee, butter, coconut oil, sesame oil, or yogurt before serving.
Good to Know
Keep in airtight containers at room temperature. Keeps up to 6 months.
Prepare completely; stores for extended periods in sealed containers.
Mix 1 spoonful with ghee, butter, coconut oil, sesame oil, or yogurt. Serve with idly, dosa, paniyaram, Karnataka-style rotti, adai, or hot rice.
Common Mistakes
Over-roasting horse gram causes bitterness; roast until color changes, not until darkened.
Skipping the cooling step may result in uneven grinding and clumpy powder.
Adding tempering to hot powder instead of cooled powder can cause oil separation.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
use freshly grated and lightly toasted
Vegan Options
same origin pairing
similar texture and earthiness