Low Fat Coconut Chutney

A South Indian condiment, the much loved (not just )coconut chutney that is low in fat.

Fresh, creamy and bursting with flavours, the humble coconut chutney on a healthier note is a versatile side dish traditionally enjoyed with South Indian delicacies such as the Dosa, vada, pongal or idli. This low fat, purely vegan recipe for making coconut chutney even serves as a delicious accompaniment for that extra zing for people on a low carb (keto) diet and even a virtue for avid foodie.

Be it with a warm crisp Dosa or an idli, these dishes are only completed with a soulful bowl of coconut chutney. My love for this delicious condiment propelled me to make it along with a number of dishes. The endearing aroma of curry leaves and mustard seeds filling the house whilst making this chutney is so inviting.

And what can be better than to enjoy this when it is low on fat by just changing an ingredient or two.

 In our bid to adapt healthier eating habits or to aid our struggles to lose weight, one common misconception is to refrain from anything that tastes delicious. There are so many ways to indulge even if one chooses to eat healthy. Chutneys are not only delicious offerings as side dishes but also work great for our taste palate. And we get the most recognizable varieties of chutneys from the Indian Cuisine. The versatility of this chutney’s taste makes it taste finger licking good yet a healthy accompaniment even with regular meal choices such as rotis, chapatis and rice! But without an excessive amount of calories.

The recipe of this coconut chutney is inspired from the “Southekkai chutney” a Mangalore style coconut chutney as cucumber is blended along with grated coconut into a mild sweet coarse mixture with chillies and tempered with subtle spices. But only made better with low fats by slightly tweaking with few of the ingredients while keeping the base component same, that is coconuts.

• Grated Coconut, The key ingredient of the chutney. Coconut contains good fat and is also a good source of dietary fibre.  Freshly grated tender coconut whites with its mild sweet taste makes for a creamy and rich base and an absolute favourite!
• Roasted Chana dal/Daria dal/Gram, these legumes are also called baby chickpeas and feature prominently in the Asian cuisine. It adds a gritty twist to the recipe due to its nutty flavour. These are primarily cultivated in India and an excellent source of protein and fibre ensuring better immunity, strong muscles and heart health.

• Mint/Coriander, adds freshness to the flavour
• Cucumber (yes you heard it right) – For how long can you munch on cucumbers in salads ? Can be made with Gherkins (English cucumbers) and adds to the texture of the chutney due to its high water content. It also makes a world of difference to the flavour and it is low on calories. Cucumbers contain important vitamins and minerals. It is high in soluble fibre and can be quite easily added to regular diet which aids in weight loss.

Though it’s optional (but I can’t do without it,a tempering or tarka as we Indians call it, we will be needing coconut oil or ghee, Urad dal/Split Black Gram for that little bit of crunch (and it’s healthy too as it is a plant based rich source of proteins), mustard seeds and curry leaves (my favourite!) along with dried red chillies.

With handful ingredients and time required as much as to blend them all in a blender. And we will have our chutney ready in just a couple of minutes to be served alongside our meals. So let us make our unusual coconut chutney,but better.

How to make Low fat easy Coconut Chutney

• We will begin by taking the base ingredients for the chutney.
•  ¾ cup of grated coconut, 250-300 grams peeled and chopped cucumbers, and ¼ cup roasted Gram, ½ cup mint / coriander and salt as per preference. And putting them all in the blender and blend it into a coarse paste.
• Once the mixture for the chutney is ready, let us transfer it to a bowl. The next step for tempering is optional as the chutney will taste good just as it is.
•  But for those preferring to go for tempering the chutney, we will start by heating 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a pan or a tadka pan and add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 4 curry leaves and 1 to 2 whole red chillies. Continue to heat for a while on medium flame until the mustard seeds start to splutter. Then pour the tempering hot spices over the chutney and give it a gentle mix for the flavours to come together. (The fragrance is just… so good!!)

And finally serve this delicious bowl of coconut chutney oozing with flavours with warm Dosas or Idlis.

Pro Tips for storage

• This chutney can be stored away in air tight containers in the fridge for a couple of days. But despite having made this chutney frequently in my house, it would only take minutes to be wiped clean of the bowl every time it is made.
• A fresh tadka or tempering is enough to freshen up the chutney again.
• Make sure to use a fresh dry spoon every time to serve. It helps to prolong the taste and the freshness of the chutney.
• Coconut chutneys being high in fat do not last long hence should be consumed within a day or two from when it is made or it turns rancid.