In this post I share an easy recipe to make curry leaves chutney. You can store this for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

About Curry Leaves

Curry leaves also known as Karipatta or Kadi patta are an important herb used in traditional South Indian & Maharashtrian cooking. Almost every savory dish begins or ends with a tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds and/or red chilies. Curry leaves not only impart a unique nutty, sweet & pungent aroma but also work as a digestive aid (if you eat them). But unfortunately all of us end up discarding it and rarely eat assuming it to be just for flavoring. Curry leaves are nutritious and are rich in iron, folate & many vitamins. Growing up we never realized the value of fresh curry leaves as they were grown in abundance in the backyard and farm. A lot of the fresh leaves would be used to make this spiced Curry Leaves Powder (Karvepaku podi) and we would have the curry leaves rice on weekly rotation. Curry Leaves Chutney is yet another way of using up the abundant fresh leaves. This chutney is not only delicious but also helps in digestion. There are 2 ways Andhra style Karvepaku Pachadi is made. One is the thick chutney that is eaten with hot rice and ghee. The second one is this & goes well with just anything! We usually serve this with Idli, Dosa, uttapam, Pongal, Rava idli, Pakora, parathas, Chapati, sandwiches etc. You can also smear your wraps, rolls and sandwiches with this chutney instead of a spread. This recipe can again be made with a choice of red chilies & tamarind or with green chilies & lemon juice (for the tang). These 2 ingredients to a large extent impart their own flavors and color. I make this recipe very often with these 2 different set of ingredients. Red chilies and tamarind impart brown to red color to the chutney while the green chilies impart green color. More Chutney recipesGreen Chutney Coriander ChutneyCapsicum ChutneyGinger ChutneyRed capsicum chutney

How to Make Curry Leaves Chutney (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

  1. To begin with measure 2 cups of curry leaves and rinse them well. If you are not using organic leaves, you may spray vinegar and sprinkle a bit of baking soda. Leave for 5 minutes, later rinse them well at least thrice. Drain them to a colander and shake off to get rid of the excess water. Dry them on a cloth or pat dry with the cloth or kitchen tissues so most of the moisture is removed. I air dry them for a few hours instead of wiping them dry but it is not essential.
  2. You will need

1½ tablespoon chana dal (Bengal gram) ¾ tablespoon urad dal (optional) 3 garlic cloves (or ½ inch ginger peeled & sliced) ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds

  1. You also need

3 to 4 green chilies (Indian/Thai or serrano peppers or dried red chilies) 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or 1 tsp tamarind paste from 2 tsps tamarind)

  1. You also need ½ cup fresh coconut (or unsweetened shredded coconut or grated copra or shallots or sliced onions) If you don’t want to use coconut, use the same amount of shallots or sliced onions.

Fry the Ingredients

  1. Heat a pan with half tablespoon oil. Add the chana dal, urad dal and cumin seeds. Fry them on a medium heat until light golden.
  2. Add the green chilies (slit or chopped) and garlic or ginger. Fry them until the green chilies blister. Do not burn the spices. Turn off the stove and remove to a plate.
  3. To the same pan, add half tablespoon oil and add the curry leaves.
  4. Fry them on a medium heat until crisp but not burnt.
  5. Add the coconut if using. (If you are using onions or shallots in place of coconut, remove the curry leaves to a plate and saute the onions in 1 tsp oil until golden.)
  6. Stir fry for a minute or 2 until the coconut becomes hot. Turn off and cool completely.

Make the Chutney

  1. Add the roasted lentils, cumin, chilies, garlic, half teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or tamarind. I prefer to set aside a few fried chilies and add them later while blending after taste testing.
  2. Add the curry leaves and coconut. Pour ¼ cup water and begin to blend. You will need about ½ to ¾ cup water, depending on the consistency you like.
  3. Blend the curry leaves chutney to a smooth texture. Taste test and adjust salt and lemon juice. This chutney does not require tempering and most often I don’t. If you want to temper, heat half tablespoon oil in the same pan. Add a pinch of mustard seeds, 1 pinch of urad dal, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 broken dried chilli . When the chilies turn crisp, add curry leaves and fry until crisp. Add hing and pour this over the curry leaves chutney.

Pro Tips

Curry leaves: For those who are doubtful about the nutrients being lost in stir fried curry leaves. You can dry the curry leaves in shade for few days until they turn crisp. Crush them up, to powder with moist free hands and store it in a glass jar. It can be refrigerated. Add to the chutney whenever needed. My Mum would dry the curry leaves in the veranda during the day for three days to dehydrate them completely, not during the monsoons since the leaves get moldy. Chilies: You can use either fresh green chilies or dried red chilies. Both impart different flavor and color to your chutney. Ginger or Garlic: Ginger and garlic both impart different flavors. Use whatever you like. Chana dal: I personally prefer chana dal also known as bengal gram for our chutneys as the texture, flavor, taste and aroma are exceptionally good. However you can simply replace chana dal with roasted gram (chutney dal) or roasted peanuts. I find one of them essential in this recipe because they impart a smooth texture to the chutney. Without dal or peanuts I felt the coarse texture of curry leaves fibers. Tempering: Tempering is not essential for this chutney and is not a part of the recipe. I do it just for added flavor & garnishing. This is the picture of the curry leaves chutney made with only chana dal & red chilies, no coconut is used. This is creamy, nutty and delicious! Related Recipes

Recipe Card

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