Chettinad Milagai Chutney Recipe – Sharmis Passion

Chettinad Milagai Chutney is a spicy side dish made using dried chillies, garlic, shallots, tamarind and some basic spices. This Milagai Chutney recipe is made in Chettinad style, which can be eaten with Paniyaram, Idli, Dosa, Uttapam etc. Chettinad Dry Chilli Chutney is simple and quick to make in minutes.

This chutney follows the Chettinad style, so its flavor is a little stronger than the normal Milagai chutney that we often make. It makes even a plain idli delicious and makes it special. It also tastes great with Paniyaram as the spicy-sour flavor balances well with the soft batter.

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About Vara Milgai Chutney

Vara Milagai Chutney is a classic and popular red chilli chutney known for its bright color and simple rustic taste. This chutney is traditionally served with Vella Paniyaram in Chettinad households. The dried chilli, onion garlic paste is kept a little thick, so the texture looks more natural. The bright red color mostly comes from the mixture of peppers. It cooks fast, so it really helps on busy mornings.

It has a spicy flavour, it tastes good and goes well with almost any South Indian tiffin that we make often. As it cooks, the raw smell gradually disappears and the chutney becomes a dark red mixture. Some versions add garlic or omit the tomatoes, but the flavor remains close to traditional.

There are many versions of using tomatoes in this chutney but traditionally tomatoes are not used. But it is your choice, if you want to reduce the flame then you can add tomatoes while grinding and can also make chutney from it.

You can adjust this chutney as per your preference. For brighter colour, add some more Kashmiri chilli. For spicy taste, increase the regular chilli a little. If you prefer lighter jaggery then a pinch of jaggery also balances the heat. Small changes add a little new flavor but the main chili flavor remains the hero.

I usually make this chutney whenever we make dosa or idli for brunch. It requires very little cutting and is prepared very quickly. If you like small but still homey chutney, this is perfect for daily meals.

Vara Milagai Chutney is one of those quick chutneys that I make when I don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen but still need something tasty for dosa or idli. We love it with soft hot idlis.

Chettinad Milgai Chutney Video

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUVe5dCisUU[/embed]

Vara Milgai Chutney Ingredients

• red chilli – I have used them for heat because they give a hot spicy taste. If you want lighter chutney then you can reduce it.
• kashmiri red chilli – I added it mainly for color as it gives a nice dark red look. You can also use just regular chillies, but then the color becomes a little darker.
• small onion – I used it for the base flavour, it gives a mild sweetness and goes well with the chilli. If you do not have small onions you can also add regular onions.
• Garlic – It tastes and smells great.
• Tamarind – I have added a small piece of it to add a slight spiciness, which balances the spices well. If you like extra sour taste you can add a little more.
• gingelly oil – I used it for tempering as it gives a beautiful aroma and normal traditional taste. If you don’t have it, you can also add a little coconut oil to it.
• mustard seeds – It is added for tempering and when it bursts, there is a slight sizzle. If you don’t like the taste of mustard then you can leave it out.
• Curry leaf – It gives a refreshing smell and mixes very well with gingelly oil. If you like spicy taste you can add more leaves.

similar recipe

How to make Chettinad Milagai Chutney step by step

1.Add 5 regular red chillies along with 10 Kashmiri red chillies in a mixer jar.

2. Add 15 small onions.

3. Add 10 garlic cloves.

4. Add rock salt as per taste.

5. Add 1 teaspoon tamarind.

6.Add some water and grind it coarsely.

7. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil – add 1 tsp mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add some curry leaves, let it splutter.

8.Add prepared chilli paste.

9. Fry well.

Cook for 10.5-7 minutes or until the raw smell goes away.

11.Finally add 1 tablespoon sesame oil.

12.Mix it well and turn it off.

Chettinad style raw milagai chutney is ready.

Expert Tips

• grind texture – I grind the mixture a little coarsely as it gives better taste and rustic feel. Grinding it smooth changes the taste.
• oil quantity – I usually add a little extra ginger oil because this chutney tastes better when the oil is visible. Try not to reduce it too much.
• cooking time – I cook until the raw smell goes away completely, otherwise the chutney tastes spicy. Let it boil slowly.
• chili mixture – Try mixing both regular and Kashmiri chillies as it gives the right color and heat. Only regular chilli makes it more spicy.
• storage – If you want to store the chutney, then keep it a little thick, if it is thin then the chutney will not remain fresh for long.
• balance – Add 1 teaspoon sugar for spicy taste and balance.

serving and storage

Serve this chutney hot with idli, dosa, utthappam or kuzhi paniyaram. If you enjoy spicy taste then it also goes well with curd dosa or chapati. – Fill the chutney in a tight jar and keep it in the refrigerator. It stays good for about two days. You can heat it a little before serving, just do not heat it too much, otherwise the color will become a little dark.

general questions and answers

1.Can I add tomatoes?

Yes, you can add 1 tomato while grinding but the chutney becomes less spicy. Traditionally tomatoes are not used for this chutney.

2.Can I make it with Kashmiri chilli alone?

Yes, you can, but then the chutney will not be too spicy, so adjust it as per your liking.

3.Can I add large onion?

Yes, you can add big onion but small onion gives more taste.

4.Can I make this chutney in advance?

Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for up to two days. Just reheat slightly before using.

5. Why sesame oil?

This gives the best flavor to this chutney, and it matches the flavor of the chilli very well.

If you have any further questions about this Milagai Chutney Recipe Mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. Also, follow me Instagram, Facebook, pinterest ,youtube And Twitter ,

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