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Culinary Nostalgia with Ulli Chammanthi (Red Hot Onion Chutney)
August 11, 2010 | 16 Comments
Onions + red chillies + salt.
Life’s most marvellous things are often the simplest. If it involves a favourite childhood food, the delight that flows from remembering, re-creating and savouring it makes for an even more joyous experience.
My mom, while not a prolific cook, was a good one. This was one of her signature dishes along with her crisp, ghee-laced dosas (rice and lentil pancakes). In Kerala, where she grew up, this chutney is a breakfast staple, usually made with shallots.
In Malayalam, ulli = shallot, chammanthi = chutney.
Just out of the ground: Baby red onions
This was my third attempt. The first time I followed an online recipe that had tamarind. It was good, but the colour was not as bright, the flavour not as complex. The next recipe I followed had tamarind and grated coconut. Not intense enough.
While wondering how to use up a batch of freshly harvested red onions, I decided to hassle my dear friend and surrogate big sister Ammini Ramachandran to part with a recipe. I checked her book Grains, Greens and Grated Coconuts first, just in case. Sure enough, there was one on page 170 called “Shallot Chutney“.
Just shallots, chillies, oil and salt.
I replaced the shallots with baby red onions and the vegetable oil with extra virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil is what my mom used as well.
Since I’ve become a total wimp when it comes to chillies, I debated between cutting down on the heat and aiming for the bright red colour. In the end, I stuck to her measurements. After the first taste, my tongue was on fire and my head was about to explode. Jai promptly hailed its “kick-assedness” while proceeding to dip every crunchy thing he could find in it.
I let what was left sit in the fridge overnight. The next day, the flavours were more rounded and considerably mellower. More importantly, it tasted just like my mom’s.
It’s really simple.
Ulli Chammanthi (Red Hot Onion Chutney)
(Makes 3/4 cup)
Heat
2 tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil
**else, use unrefined sesame oil
in a wide pan (cast-iron is best).
Chop thinly
2 cups shallots (or red onions)
and fry them in the oil on medium heat with
a tiny pinch of sea salt
Spread the onions/shallots out in an even layer. Do not crowd the pan. I make a double batch and use two pans.
Be careful with the salt ‘cos it will cook down to less than half its volume. You can add more salt later. Cook until brown on the edges until they begin to caramelise, but not crispen. The more moisture you can get out of the onions, the tastier the chutney and the longer it will last. Stir often and make sure there are no burnt bits, ‘cos they will make the chutney bitter.
Add
half cup hot dried cayenne chillies (loosely packed)
and cook for two more minutes until the chillies turn a shade darker. Transfer the mixture to a blender jar and wait for it to cool down. Blending when it is warm alters the flavour.
Add more salt to taste and blend fine. You may need a tablespoon or two of water for this.
Let it sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours for the best flavour.
If you can’t handle heat at all, replace half the dried cayenne chillies with
a milder variety of whole chillies
or
a teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder (deghi mirch) or paprika
or
roasted red peppers
Trust me, though. The sweetness of the onions complements the heat nicely. Make it with hot chillies the first time and see if you can handle it.
As I scooped a smooth crimson dollop out of the bowl and into my mouth, the Flying Spaghetti Monster laid a firm tentacle on my soul. “Make some dosas,” it beckoned. Ramen!
If you’re yearning for the good old days, just turn off the air conditioning. ~ Griff Niblack
And bring out the ghee.
My favourite childhood meal
Using an onion cut in half, smear a hot cast-iron griddle with homemade ghee (clarified butter). Spread a ladleful of red rice dosa batter (recipe HERE) in a circular motion.
Let the dosa crispen on one side. Spread a heaped tablespoon of ulli chammanthi.
Fold it over.
Serve it with Ammini Ramachandran’s kick-ass Thakkali (tomato) chutney (Recipe at Indian Food Rocks).
- b.
Good read: Culinary Nostalgia: Regional Food Culture and the Urban Experience in Shanghai: Mark Swislocki
Filed Under: Ammini-Ramachandran, cayenne, Chillies/Peppers, GARDENING, Grains Greens and Grated Coconuts, Kerala, Onion/Shallot, red chillies, Tomato, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes
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16 Comments
Been reading for several weeks now and I feel like I bookmark a new recipe at least twice a week. Enjoyed the baingan ka bharta for supper the other evening with yogurt and homemade pickled red onions. Can’t wait to try this…I’ve been looking for a great spicy onion chutney!
I have dosa batter on hand and was beginning to get tired of the usual coconut chutney. Just yesterday I was thinking of making onion or tomato chutney. Your pictures have provided me with the impetus I needed.
Ha ! Vengaya Chutney !! My favorite. I add some Gram Dhal and tomatoes too.
I loved this post , bee…it is indeed recreating and savouring the taste of childhood..and dosa looks so homey and heavenly
my aunt makes this chammanthi…..and it’s my mother’s fav.
How do you guys make such perfect Dosas…is it in your genes or jeans or what !!! Lovely, the color and the crispness
Bee this weekend it will be ulli chammanthi and dosa for breakfast. Thanks for the authentic recipe. I used to love this and have eaten it many times from friends lunch boxes and I would wonder how they got the silken texture for the chutney. It is Lipsmacking.
Muhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa how can you torture me like this, the more i scrolled down i think i had to take a bucket to catch my drool.
If it is true we eat with our eyes first, then I could say I’m full for the moment. Stunning photos, though I am surely coming to expect that here.
I especially like your harvest photo of the baby reds. I love the onion flowers – I enjoy the way mine look so much in the garden I am neglectful of the prospect that they have anything edible attached!
hello bee…first of all…i love ur name:)its so cute!
your posts are interesting,sometimes humorous & really fun to read.
And I can relate to the health freak in you.
Superb work:)
cheers
Tanvi
B, my mom is from Malabar and she has a no-cook version of this: just shallots, chilly powder, tamarind and salt, pulse it twice (shallots shouldnt become a paste) and then add fresh coconut oil to it. mix well.now this is a regular thing at my home too.
Absolutely stunning photographs. Also I learnt two new words today – ulli and chammanthi.
Ooooh…that dosa is perfection. Awesome!
Love them dosas and have wanted a recipe for the onion chutney for a long time! Hmmm, no sweetner – just the onions impart that sweetness.
[...] Culinary Nostalgia with Ulli Chammanthi (Red Hot Onion Chutney) [...]
Brilliant imagery & yummy!
Thank you for healthy inspiration
I made this chutney and ate it for 3 days. It is so silken and perfect with dosa. Thanks Bee!
I love this. We make it a bit differently..gind the raw shallots, salt, and chili powder to a paste. Then do tadka with a lot of coconut oil + mustard + curry leaves. The hot oil poured on to the raw shallot paste kind of cooks it a bit and also tones down the chili. It does leave a raw onion smell, but I guess we are just so used to it now…just don’t eat if we are going out anywhere.