A plain dosa is an invitation to savor the complex, deeply sour flavors of this favorite ferment and the savoriness of the chutneys. This tomato chutney, Nash’s mom’s recipe, has us obsessively making batch after batch as soon as tomato season starts. It keeps for a couple weeks and can be doubled.
Makes about 1 cup tomato chutney
Dosa Crepes (as many as you like)
Tomato Chutney
¼ cup sunflower oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
4 dried red chiles
1½ tablespoons chana dal (chickpea dal)
Handful of fresh curry leaves
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
½–1 teaspoon red chile powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Temper the spices: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop. Then, in this order, add the red chiles, chana dal, and curry leaves. Let the red chiles, chana dal, and curry leaves darken a couple of shades without burning.
Add the tomatoes, red chile powder, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook, stirring often once the tomatoes start to thicken, for about 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are completely broken down and jam-like and the oil separates from the tomatoes.
Dosa Crepes (as many as you like)
Tomato Chutney
¼ cup sunflower oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
4 dried red chiles
1½ tablespoons chana dal (chickpea dal)
Handful of fresh curry leaves
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
½–1 teaspoon red chile powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
