Ginger chutney aka allam chutney

Ginger Chutney | Allam Chutney

By Swasthi on January 3, 2022, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Ginger chutney also known as Allam chutney for Idli, dosa, vada, pesarattu & snacks. Allam chutney is a popular condiment from Andhra cuisine usually eaten with breakfasts. Allam translates to ginger in telugu & chutney is a condiment. This recipe will give you a very delicious & flavorful ginger chutney that tastes slightly sweet, tangy, spicy & hot. It is made with fresh ginger and other pantry staples.

Ginger chutney aka allam chutney

Pesarattu and Allam pachadi are a popular breakfast combo made in most telugu speaking homes.

Allam pachadi is a traditional ginger pickle made with ginger, tamarind, jaggery & red chili powder.

Making allam pachadi is a slightly tedious work so this instant ginger chutney or allam chutney is favored by many. This ginger chutney is good to consume during the monsoon and winters as it keeps the body warm.

Update: I have updated with post with a new recipe of mango ginger chutney. It is made with mango ginger, a unique kind of rhizome which has the combined flavors of mango and ginger. It does not have the pungent flavor that you find in regular ginger.

Pro Tips

  • Ginger is naturally pungent & cannot be consumed in large quantity. So to neutralize the pungent taste, onions are used. They are lightly roasted to brings out the sweet aroma.
  • Chana dal & urad dal are used to enhance the aroma and texture of the allam chutney. If you do not have the dals replace with peanuts but the taste will be different.
  • Use as much jaggery & tamarind as you prefer to balance the pungent taste of ginger.
  • Tempering this ginger chutney is optional if you desire, you can do it. But it tastes good as it is.

More Chutney recipes
Apple chutney
Pudina chutney
Tomato chutney
Coconut chutney
Peanut chutney
Tamarind chutney

How to make Ginger Chutney – Recipe 1

1. Optional – I prefer to rinse tamarind and soak in ¼ cup water. You can also add it directly to the blender jar later. Set this aside.

soaking tamarind in water to make ginger chutney

2. Heat 1 tsp oil and fry chana dal & urad dal until light golden. I did not have 2 tbps chana dal so I substituted with 1 tbsp of peanuts. You can try and check which one suits your taste. Do not add too many peanuts, then it will taste like peanut chutney.

frying dal peanuts to make ginger chutney

3. Add red chilies when the dal is golden. Fry until the chilies turn crisp and the dal turns deep golden. Do not over fry the chilies as the allam chutney may taste bitter.

frying red chilies to make allam chutney

4. Remove them to a plate to cool.

cooling fried ingredients to make allam chutney

5. Pour little more oil and add onions and ginger. I separate the layers of cubed onions as this yields a great aromatic chutney. Also you will need to slice the ginger and not chop small as this results in bitter tasting ginger.

frying onions ginger to make allam chutney

6. Keep frying & stirring often until the onions turn pinkish to golden. Do not brown the ginger. Turn off the stove and cool these.

adding cumin to make allam chutney

Grind Allam Chutney

7. Add them to a blender jar.

adding cooled ingredients to make ginger chutney

8. Add in salt and jaggery. I used 1 tbsp powdered jaggery.

adding jaggery to make ginger chutney

9. Add tamarind. I mash the tamarind and pass it through a filter.

pouring tamarind water to make ginger chutney

10. Blend ginger chutney to slightly coarse or smooth texture to suit your taste. Pour more water if needed to bring to consistency. Also adjust salt, jaggery & tamarind by adding more if needed.

blended ginger chutney in a jar

11. I never season ginger chutney as this doesn’t need. But if you prefer you can do the seasoning by heating 1 tsp oil. Splutter some mustard, then fry urad dal, curry leaves & red chili until crisp. Then sprinkle some hing and pour this to the allam chutney.

tempering ingredients for ginger chutney

Serve ginger chutney with any breakfasts or snacks.

ginger chutney allam chutney
ginger chutney recipe

Mango Ginger Chutney – Recipe 2

Ingredients

½ cup mango ginger (peeled and chopped to ½ inch pieces)
1 teaspoon chana dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
4 to 7 red chilies (adjust to taste, I use 5 to 6 byadgi chilies)
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoon oil
1 ½ tablespoon tamarind (soaked in little hot water (or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste)
1 teaspoon jaggery (adjust to taste)
¼ inch ginger (peeled, optional)

Instructions

  • If you do not have tamarind paste, soak tamarind in 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water.
  • On a medium to low heat, dry roast dry red chilies, chana dal and urad dal until deep golden and aromatic. Remove from the pan and cool completely.
  • To the same pan, pour oil and heat it. Fry mango ginger on a low heat for 2 mins until aromatic. If using ginger add that now and saute for 30 seconds. Add cumin and mix well. Turn off the stove.
  • Powder chana dal, urad dal, red chilies & salt in a grinder to a fine powder. I usually set aside a few red chilies to add later if required.
  • To this add the mango ginger, jaggery and cumin.
  • Squeeze the soaked tamarind and extract the juice. Strain this through a coffee strainer directly to the grinder as required and grind to a slight coarse chutney. Mango ginger chutney is made to a thick consistency as we mostly eat it with rice so do not add lot of water.
  • Taste test and adjust salt, red chilies & jaggery. Store this in an air tight glass container in the fridge and temper with curry leaves, mustard, red chilies whenever needed. If you prefer to store longer boil the tamarind on the stove until soft.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

allam chutney ginger chutney

Ginger Chutney | Allam Chutney

Ginger chutney is a delicious Indian condiment that tastes spicy, tangy & sweet. It is known as allam chutney and is eaten with breakfasts & snacks.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings3 to 4
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 tbsp chana dal or bengal gram (or substitute with peanuts)
  • 1 tbsp urad dal or skinned black gram (optional)
  • 1 ½ inch ginger or allam (sliced) (1 ½ by 1 ½ inch)
  • 1/3 tsp Salt or as needed
  • 2 to 4 red chilies (adjust to suit your taste)
  • 1 tbsp Tamarind or tamarind paste or lemon juice(adjust to suit your taste)
  • 1 tbsp jaggery
  • ½ tsp cumin or jeera
  • 1 large onion cubed & layers separated
  • 1 tbsp Oil or as needed

Tempering ingredients (optional)

  • 1 tsp oil or as needed
  • 1 pinch mustard
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 pinch hing


Instructions

Preparation for allam chutney

  • Wash ginger well, peel the skin and cut them to thick slices.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Fry chana dal & urad dal until light golden. Add red chilies and saute until they turn crisp. Dal should become deep golden. Transfer these to a plate.
  • Add onions and ginger. Saute until they turn pink or light golden. Do not brown the ginger. Add cumin and turn off the stove. You can also skip frying ginger to retain the medicinal benefits.
  • Cool all the roasted ingredients. Soak tamarind in water for a while. You can also use tamarind directly if you prefer. Set this aside.

How to make ginger chutney

  • Add all the cooled ingredients to a blender jar along with jaggery, little tamarind, salt and little water. Blend all these till smooth or coarse chutney to suit your taste.
  • Add more water if needed to bring to consistency. Adjust salt, jaggery & tamarind as needed. Allam chutney should taste spicy, hot, sweet & tangy.

Tempering (optional)

  • Heat a tbsp oil in a small pan. Add mustard, urad dal & red chilli. When the mustard splutters, add curry leaves. When they turn crisp, sprinkle hing. Turn off the stove and pour this over the allam chutney.
  • Serve ginger chutney with pesarttu, dosa or idli.


Notes

Over frying ginger may make the chutney bitter.
Avoid chopping ginger too small as it may make the chutney bitter.
Using even little more ginger than mentioned in the recipe may result in bitter or pungent ginger chutney.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Ginger Chutney | Allam Chutney
Amount Per Serving
Calories 156 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Sodium 272mg12%
Potassium 411mg12%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 595IU12%
Vitamin C 103.6mg126%
Calcium 26mg3%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Ginger Chutney | Allam Chutney

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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Hi Swasthi, Happy New Year 2022 to you and your family. Do you know anything about “mango ginger (Mamidi Allam)”? It has got raw mango flavor and a strong ginger taste. I remember back in the day, my mother used to make some sort of chutney using this mamidi allam, but I have no clue how she did or how it is done. Here in US where I live, the Indian store guy sells fresh mamidi allam regularly. He is not from Andhra and has no idea how it is used. I am wondering if you know of any recipes using this product and if you do, please post them. Thanks and keep up the great work by posting fabulous Indian recipes.

Swasthi, thanks very much for your response. I will try making the chutney using mango ginger as given in your recipe 2. You are right! I remember now about mango ginger pickle. I think it is made by cutting the mango ginger into small pieces instead of grinding up into a smooth paste. Please post the pickle recipe whenever you get a chance to find the recipe and after you trying it.

great recipe! Loved and enjoyed it with Pesarattu

5 stars
I tried it, that was delicious. Can we add coconut?

Hi Swasthi
I bow down for your skills in cooking and efforts in keeping up with this website. You are truly a savior for authentic Indian cuisine.

Can we prepare this recipe with out onion?

4 stars
Swasthi srikanth writings are valuable for home makers.kee it up.make PDF file, send it by whatsapp,this will help easily available info.
Thanks for cooking class.

Hi
Looking forward to trying this recipe today. In the ingredients section of the recipe card, jaggery powder is missing. Kindly update.

5 stars
Tried this unique recipe. Turned out really tasty. Thanks for posting Andhra recipes.

5 stars
Hi Swasthi
I tried your tomato chutney and egg less chocolate cake.
Both came out extremely well.
Thank you for sharing so many recipes.

Ms. Swasthi,

I have not yet tried the recipe. So, no comments, per-se, on the recipe now.

My appreciation to you for

1. Very good, step-by-step, explanation
2. Simple and effective English
3. Beautiful pictures

Since you mentioned that you are food photographer, i believe these pictures are taken by you. Compliments.

Best wishes

I made this chutney as side dish for pesarattu.Came out very well.Thanks a lot.

5 stars
Very tasty chutney. Quite flavourful. Made it today on the occasion of World Idli day to accompany the idlis.Lip smacking good??

5 stars
Thank you so much Swasthi… excellent pics…I made it and loved tthe mix of all flavors… very addictive… and you presented the recipe to make it feel simple and fun to make… thank you!!

Swasthi your giving amazing tasty foods thanks for giving good tasty introduction

I made biryani and also chutney both are giving good taste I am really happy for you

Tried this for the first time . Tasted so good . For variation added a piece of jaggery too . Thanks for sharing .

5 stars
Hi Swasthi
I made this chutney today as side dish for pesarattu. Came out very well. Thanks for sharing

5 stars
Followed ur recipe
Turned out to b great tasty
Reminded me of my childhood in Hyd

5 stars
Allan chutney I made,following the above recipe,turned out to great tasty chutney
Reminded me of my childhood days in Hyd

I am a biginner and ur site is very useful to me especially kids recipe. I tried some recipes for my daughter and she enjoyed. Thank you so much for all the recipes mam

I want to learn how to and pls let me know few tips for quick and easy cooking

Thanks for sharing this friend it too good and one doubt do we need to fry ginger also ? I’m beginner so I don’t know it properly

Hi swasthi! Tried this for idlis and came out well. And felt so easy. Shared this recipe with my cousin in korea. She also said it was so easy and tasty too. Thanks again 🙂