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    Home » Side Dishes For Idli-Dosa » Cilantro Coconut Chutney | Kothamalli Chutney

    Cilantro Coconut Chutney | Kothamalli Chutney

    Posted on September 22, 2021 · Last Updated on August 20, 2022 · By Srividhya G · 4 Comments

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    coriander coconut chutney served with dosa in a wooden bowl and plate with text overlay for pinterest

    Easy cilantro coconut chutney recipe or kothamalli chutney/thuvaiyal as we say in Tamil! A perfect accompaniment for idli, dosa, and rice too.

    close up shot of coconut chutney served in wooden bowl with dosa on the top

    I know I have been posting cilantro recipes back to back. When life gives you cilantro, make everything with cilantro. :-) After cilantro-lentils spice mix and cilantro rice, here is another easy South Indian style chutney recipe with cilantro.

    Assorted chutneys for idli and dosa

    In India, coriander leaves is the most common term used for cilantro. This coriander-coconut chutney or cilantro-coconut chutney is quite popular, and it’s one among the assorted chutneys that you can find in the restaurants in the idli/dosa platter. The other two popular chutneys are coconut chutney and onion chutney. 

    Ok, now coming to this chutney, it’s not the restaurant-style chutney for sure. I have used lentils, more urad dal like thengai thuvaiyal/coconut chutney for rice so that you can serve it as an accompaniment for both rice and tiffin varieties. It’s more like the wet version of my kothamalli podi sans tamarind but with coconut. 

    If you plan to serve it with rice, grind it slightly thick and coarse. If you plan to serve it with tiffin items, you can add extra water and make the chutney in pouring consistency and smooth. 

    Ingredients required

    Cilantro/ fresh coriander leaves – I used one small bunch approx 66 grams of cilantro for this chutney. You can include the stems too.

    Dried red chilis – We need 4 to 5 dried red chilies but adjust to taste.

    Lentils – We need both urad dal (whole black gram) and chana dal (split desi chickpeas). I have used 3 tbsp of urad dal and 1 tbsp of chana dal. You can use an equal measure or experiment with the ratio. We need 4 tbsp of lentils for this recipe. 

    Coconut – I have used ½ cup of grated coconut. The fresh or frozen coconut should be ok.

    Oil – We need oil to roast the ingredients and also to temper.

    Tempering ingredients: We need mustard seeds and a little bit of asafoetida to temper the chutney. 

    Apart from these ingredients, we need salt and water.

    kothamalli chutney served in wooden bowl with spoon inside and with a red chili on top

    Dietary specifications and serving suggestions

    This cilantro-coconut chutney is vegan and nut-free by nature. Use gluten-free asafoetida or skip it for a gluten-free version.

    This chutney pairs well with idli and dosa. You can also serve it as a side for yogurt rice, upma, and savory pongal. I love mixing it with rice with a dollop of gingelly oil and relish it with papad.

    Kothamalli chutney stays good for up to 2 days when refrigerated. I haven’t tried storing beyond that. 

    Cilantro-coconut chutney recipe with step-wise pictures

    • Heat a pan or kadai and add ½ tsp oil. When it is hot, add the urad dal and roast until it turns deep golden brown. Transfer it to a mixer jar.
    roasting urad dal
    • Add ½ more tsp of oil in the same pan, roast the dried red chilies until they turn crisp, and transfer it to the mixer jar. 
    roasted dried red chilies
    • Now, roast the chana dal in the same pan until it turns deep golden brown and transfer it to the mixer jar. 
    roasted chana dal
    • Turn off the heat and add the cilantro to the same pan and let it wilt.
    wilting the cilantro
    • When the lentils are cooled down, add the cilantro into the mixer jar and add salt as well.
    adding the cilantro chutney ingredients to the mixer jar
    • Blend it roughly without adding any water.
    coarsely ground lentils and cilantro
    • Then add the coconut.
    adding salt and coconut to the coarsely ground chutney mix
    • Grind into a smooth chutney by adding ¾ to 1 cup of water. 
    ground chutney
    • In a separate tempering pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the mustard seeds splutter, add them to the chutney and serve the kothamalli chutney with idli or dosa. 
    overhead shot of kothamalli chutney served in wooden bowl with dried red chilies on the side

    Recipe notes

    • Adjust the salt and spices to taste.
    • You can include small betel nut size tamarind or ½ tsp of tamarind paste.
    • If you are serving this chutney with rice, use ⅓ to ½ cup of water and grind it slightly coarsely.

    More chutney recipes from my blog archives

    While I highly recommend you to check my easy coconut chutney recipe, don’t miss these ones too.

    • square image of nuts coconut chutney served in blue serveware placed on burlap cloth on a tray with nuts and chilies on the side
      Mixed Nuts Coconut Chutney | Easy Sides for Idli and Dosa
    • square image of ginger chutney served in a white ceramic bowl placed inside a black bowl
      Ginger Chutney | Inji Thuvaiyal
    • Pacha Manga Chammanthi | Raw Mango Chutney
    • biryani chutney served in terracotta bowl placed on stacked trays
      Biryani Chammanthi | Kerala Special Biryani Chutney

    Loved this recipe?

    If you try this cilantro coconut chutney, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest or Instagram or join my Facebook Group for recipe updates and simple Indian meal ideas.

    📖 Recipe

    square image of coriander coconut chutney served with dosa in a wooden bowl and plate
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    5 from 3 votes

    Cilantro Coconut Chutney | Kothamalli Chutney

    Easy cilantro coconut chutney recipe or kothamalli chutney/thuvaiyal as we say in Tamil! A perfect accompaniment for idli, dosa, and rice too.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time18 minutes mins
    Total Time23 minutes mins
    Course: Accompaniment
    Cuisine: South Indian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 124kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • wok or kadai
    • Mixer jar or coffee grinder

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;

    • 66 grams cilantro cleaned and roughly chopped
    • 1 tsp oil divided
    • 3 tbsp urad dal
    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 4 to 5 dried red chilies or to taste
    • ½ cup coconut grated
    • 1.25 tsp salt or to taste
    • 1 cup water or as required

    To Temper

    • 1 tsp oil
    • ½ tsp mustard seeds
    • ⅛ tsp asafoetida

    Instructions

    • Heat a pan or kadai and add ½ tsp oil. When it is hot, add the urad dal and roast until it turns deep golden brown. Transfer it to a mixer jar.
      roasting urad dal
    • Add ½ more tsp of oil in the same pan, roast the dried red chilies until they turn crisp, and transfer it to the mixer jar.
      roasted dried red chilies
    • Now, roast the chana dal in the same pan until it turns deep golden brown and transfer it to the mixer jar.
      roasted chana dal
    • Turn off the heat and add the cilantro to the same pan and let it wilt.
      wilting the cilantro
    • When the lentils are cooled down, add the cilantro into the mixer jar and add salt as well.
      adding the cilantro chutney ingredients to the mixer jar
    • Blend it roughly without adding any water.
      coarsely ground lentils and cilantro
    • Then add the coconut.
      adding salt and coconut to the coarsely ground chutney mix
    • Grind into a smooth chutney by adding ¾ to 1 cup of water.
      ground chutney
    • In a separate tempering pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the mustard seeds splutter, add them to the chutney and serve the kothamalli chutney with idli or dosa.
      square image of coriander coconut chutney served with dosa in a wooden bowl and plate

    Notes

    • Adjust the salt and spices to taste.
    • You can include small betel nut size tamarind or ½ tsp of tamarind paste.
    • If you are serving this chutney with rice, use ⅓ to ½ cup of water and grind it slightly coarsely.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1543IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
    For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel
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    Filed Under: Chutneys / Thuvaiyals, Side Dishes For Idli-Dosa

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Namasivayam Chinnaiya says

      January 09, 2024 at 6:04 am

      5 stars
      Your recipes are clear with pictures of cooking in every stage leaving no confusion. Another feature is that you provided Nutrition info. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        January 17, 2024 at 5:42 pm

        Thanks. Glad you like the features.

        Reply
    2. SURESH RAMASWAMY says

      September 25, 2021 at 8:15 am

      5 stars
      Wow the presentation looks so tempting.
      Will surely try this out..

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        September 25, 2021 at 10:08 am

        Thanks much.

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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