Indian Onion Chutney Recipe for Poppadoms (2024)

5 from 39 votes

An epicurean adventure to: India

Remember that tangy Indian onion chutney you love with your poppadoms at British Indian restaurants? Well, now you can recreate it effortlessly and it's ready in minutes!

You might know it as red onion chutney, cold onion chutney, raw onion chutney, spiced onions, or Indian onion relish. Despite the names, it's all the same delicious recipe.

This easy onion chutney boasts a vibrant reddish, pinkish hue and a sharp, spicy kick, thanks to a zesty ketchup blend mixed with diced, raw onions. Simplicity at its finest!

This Indian onion chutney often joins the ranks of poppadoms and an assortment of tempting Indian appetisers. It shares the sauce tray with its flavourful companions, spicy mango chutney and cooling Indian mint sauce (mint raita).

This trio of sauces is a key part of the curry house experience in Britain. In fact, waiting for your meal at an Indian restaurant is quite enjoyable. You can indulge in a pile of crispy poppadoms and a tasty assortment of sauces while your main course is being prepared.

Using this recipe and dedicating less than 10 minutes of your time, you can create your own delicious onion chutney in a flash. The added benefit? It's ideal to prepare in advance, as it's meant to be served cold, directly from the fridge.

Fast facts: India

What's to love about this recipe

• Flavourful: It offers a well-balanced blend of spicy and tangy flavours.

• Versatile: Goes well as a side dish to various Indian dishes, from snacks to mains.

• Easy: Quick and simple to prepare, no cooking required.

• Texture: The diced onions add a satisfying crunch.

• Dietary friendly: Red, cold onion chutney is naturallyvegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. Just check that the tomato sauce you're using is suitable for your specific needs.

• Customisable: You can adjust the level of spiciness to your taste.

• Restaurant-style chutney: Recreate the taste of Indian restaurant chutney at home.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Red onion

The main ingredient! We've got a soft spot for red onions. They're not just tasty but also add a pop of colour. However, any regular onions like white onions or brown onions will work just as well.

Ever noticed how vague 'one large onion' can be? That's why we've measured the onion quantity you need in grams (250g), so you get the right balance of sauce to onions.

Don't like your onions too sharp? Chop them up and let them chill in a bowl of ice water or fridge-cold water for 15-30 minutes. It will tone down their bite. Just make sure the chopped onions are nice and dry before adding the chutney dressing.

Tomato ketchup

Use your favourite ketchup! If you're watching your sugar, try a sugar-free version.

You can also go half and half with tomato ketchup and tomato paste.

Cumin seeds

For this raw onion chutney recipe, we toast the teaspoon of cumin seeds in a pan until it's fragrant. It makes a big difference in the overall flavour of your chutney!

It only takes about a minute and you can simply wipe out the pan with a damp cloth when you're done. Effort-wise, it's a tiny step for a huge flavour impact.

While toasting, keep the seeds moving in the hot pan. Watch for a few of them to start 'jumping' and until you can smell their toasty aroma. That's the sign they're ready. But be careful, don't let them burn!

Chilli powder

Feel like turning up the heat? Adjust the chilli powder to your taste. Just remember, the onions already bring some bite, so balance is key. The half teaspoon in this recipe provides a mild to medium heat level.

Lemon juice

A squeeze of lemon juice is entirely optional, but it adds a nice bit of zing. You can also use lime juice.

How to make cold Indian onion chutney: Step-by-step

1. Dice the onion and be sure to separate any larger pieces that may be sticking together. This ensures you end up with small, individual pieces of onion for your chutney.

2. If you prefer a milder onion flavour, soak the diced onions in a bowl of ice water or very cold water from the fridge for 15-30 minutes. This will help reduce their sharpness.

3. While the onions are soaked, toast the cumin seeds in a dry, small saucepan over medium-high heat. They're ready when their aromatic fragrance fills the air and you spot a few seeds 'jumping' in the pan.

4. In a small bowl, add the toasted cumin seeds, chilli powder, ground cumin, tomato ketchup, salt and optional lemon juice. Stir the ingredients thoroughly until well combined. You're looking for a smooth paste.

5. Drain the onions from the ice water and dry them thoroughly on kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.

6. Add the dried onions to a medium bowl.

7. Add the onion chutney sauce to the onions.

8. Gently stir the sauce into the onions until all the pieces are evenly coated with the sauce.

9. Transfer the red onion chutney to a serving bowl and place it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This will give the flavours time to meld together.

Top Tips

Mellow the Onions

To reduce the pungency of the onions, soak them in ice water or very cold fridge water for 15-30 minutes before preparing the chutney. This helps alleviate their sharpness.

Separate the onion pieces

After dicing the onions, make sure to separate any larger pieces that might stick together. This ensures that you end up with small, individual pieces of onion in your chutney, preventing someone from biting into an unexpectedly large chunk of onion.

Balancing the spice

Even though you can definitely adjust the amount of chilli powder to your heat preference, keep in mind that the onions already have a sharp, spicy kick, so balance it according to your taste.

Make it your own - Taste as you go

While preparing the chutney, taste it periodically to adjust the seasoning. You can add more salt, ketchup or lemon juice if needed to achieve the perfect balance of flavours that's right for you.

Variations

If you want to try something different with your cold onion chutney, consider adding a little of the following:

• Chopped coriander.

• Mince garlic.

• A small grating of fresh ginger.

• Finely chopped tomato (without juice and seeds).

• A small amount of tamarind paste.

• A little bit of mango chutney.

• Swap the chilli powder for finely chopped fresh chilli.

• A touch of lime or lemon zest.

• Sprinkle some mustard seeds or grind over some black pepper.

• To add a nutty flavour, you can try using peanut oil or alternatively, a teaspoon of sunflower oil.

• If you prefer not to dice the onion, you can choose to slice it into strips or half-rings instead.

Serving suggestions

With Indian snacks and appetisers - Poppadoms, samosas, onion bhaji, pakoras, kachori, chaat (like Sev Puri, Bhel puri) and kebabs.

As a condiment with bread - Naan, roti, chapati, with kathi rolls.

On sandwiches - Use as a delicious relish in sandwiches or burgers.

With vegetables - Use in a potato salad or as a condiment with roasted vegetables.

As an accompaniment to main dishes - Curries like chana dal, rice dishes, biryanis (great with vegetable biryani!), tandoori platters, grilled meats.

What to do with leftover chutney?

• Add it to curries or soups while cooking.

• We love to fry the leftovers in a pan and add it to sandwiches or burgers as a relish.

Storage

Store the chutney in an airtight container in the fridge. This will help it stay fresh and maintain its flavours.

Consume the chutney within 4-5 days, but it's really at its best in the first two days. While it may remain safe to eat for a longer period, the texture and flavour may change over time.

Not suitable for freezing.

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