Kothamalli thogayal is my Amma’s one of the signature recipes. This thogayal is a traditional South Indian recipe made with fresh coriander leaves, red chilli, lentils and garlic. For breakfast / tiffin items like idli, dosai, prepare this thogayal like pouring consistency. For rice, prepare the thovaiyal as thick coarse texture, so that it will be easy to mix with rice with a dollop of ghee or gingelly oil. Both the preparation of kothamalli thovaiyal tastes great and excellent accompaniment to your everyday meal.
Amma’s Kothamalli Thogayal
Amma is a expert in making this. The taste of this chutney just stays in my tongue forever. I love this that much. Its aroma and its taste is divine. She also makes this using mint leaves or a mixture of both. I have a recipe of my mom’s mint chutney in this blog too. Anyhow it taste yummy with hot dosa’s or idli’s.
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About Kothamali Thogayal
Thogayal is a thick South Indian chutney typically made with lentils, herbs, spices and coconut. Chutneys / thovaiyal are an integral part of everyday meals in South Indian households. It is a great accompaniment with idli, dosai, pongal, adai or with hot rice.
Coriander / kothamalli / cilantro thogayal is a popular South Indian condiment made with fresh coriander leaves, red chilli, garlic, tamarind and jaggery. You can also add optional ingredients like mint leaves, shallots, peanuts to enhance the flavour and texture. This kothamalli thovaiyal comes in handy when you run out of onions and tomatoes. This is one of the refreshing chutneys and staple in many Indian households.
My mom is an expert at making this kothmalli thogayal. Its taste stays on my tongue for a long time, that’s how much I love it! The aroma and flavour are amazing. She sometimes makes it with mint leaves or a mix of coriander and mint leaves. I’ve also shared her mint chutney recipe on this blog. It tastes delicious with idli, dosai and rice.
This kothmalli thovaiyal is perfect for those days when you want something quick and tasty. It is a lifesaver recipe on busy days and also ideal for a travel meal.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Balanced flavours : This coriander thovaiyal is a blend of flavours with red chilli, coconut, garlic, tamarind and jaggery. The ingredients don’t overpower or dominate one another, instead they create a fresh and flavourful thovaiyal.
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE – On busy days, when you run out of vegetables or don’t feel like cooking something elaborate, this thogayal comes to the rescue. This thovaiyal is also a great accompaniment for travel meals like curd rice, lemon rice and chapathi. It stays fresh for a longer time because of the natural preservative like tamarind. It’s satisfying, simple, filling and versatile and doesn’t spoil like other other chutneys, making it perfect for everyday South Indian meals and also for travel.
Digestion : Coriander leaves are rich in antioxidants, help to detox the body and also good for digestion. It is one of the big reasons that you can happily offer to the elderly people in your family without any guilt.
Easy to make : This thovaiyal is so simple and easy to make with basic pantry staples available at home. It can be done in less than 15 minutes with minimal chopping of the ingredients.
Ingredients
OIL : I have used gingelly oil as it provides the authentic taste, flavour and also helps to preserve the thovaiyal. You can also use any oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, groundnut oil or coconut oil according to your choice.
LENTILES : I have used lentils like urad dal, roasted gram ( pottukadalai ) to achieve a thick, nutty textured thovaiyal. You can additionally add channa dal or peanut for creamy texture.
COCONUT : Coconut helps to achieve sweet, creamy thovaiyal. You can also substitute with desiccated or frozen coconut. Or simply omit the coconut for a longer shelf life.
GARLIC : Garlic provides a warm and pungent flavour to the thovaiyal. If you follow a no-onion no-garlic diet, you can simply omit the garlic.
TAMARIND : Use a tamarind paste or small piece of tamarind to achieve a mild tangy taste and also it balances the flavour of coriander.
DRY RED CHILLI : The main spice maker for this thovaiyal. Adjust the quantity of red chilli according to your taste buds. You can even substitute with kashmiri red chilli, green chilli or red chilli powder.
CORIANDER LEAVES : Fresh coriander leaves are the main star of the dish. You can even use the coriander stem for sauteing. It adds a vibrant green and fresh herb aroma to the thovaiyal
SALT : Salt helps to balance the overall flavour and balance the taste of thovaiyal.
JAGGERY : A pinch of jaggery helps to balance the spicy and tangy flavours. It enhances the overall taste.
Hacks
Cleaning : Wash and dry clean the fresh coriander leaves to remove the dirt.
Sauteing : In a pan, add oil, followed by lentils, red chilli, tamarind, coconut, garlic and saute them well. Then add coriander leaves and turn off the stove. It will cook by itself on the heat of the pan.
Grinding : In a blender, add the sauted ingredients along with jaggery and grind them by adding little water for thovaiyal consistency. For pouring consistency, add more water.
Optional : For added flavouring, add a bunch of mint leaves and some peanuts for texture. You can also add shallots or tomatoes while sauteing.
Kothamalli Thogayal (Step by Step)
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| Take all your ingredients |
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| You need a bunch of coriander leaves..U can use the stalks too |
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| Heat oil in a kadai |
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| Add in coconut, channa dal, urad dal, tamarind, chillies & garlic |
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| Start sauteing it |
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| Saute till the coconut turn light golden |
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| Turn the heat off and add in coriander leaves |
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| The heat in the pan will wilt the leaves |
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| Let it cool a bit |
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| Take that in a blender |
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| Add in salt |
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| A little jaggery for sweetness |
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| Grind them |
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| Enjoy with dosa or idlies |
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the coriander leaves once added. It may change the color of the thovaiyal and also taste bitter.
- You can even substitute red chilli with kashmiri red chilli or green chilli.
- For a greener version, add a handful of mint leaves and some curry leaves.
- Adjust the quantity of chilli according to your spice level.
- Make sure to cool the ingredients completely before grinding.
- Add less or no water while grinding the thovaiyal to retain a longer shelf life.
- While serving, drizzle a spoon of gingelly oil for authentic taste.
STORAGE AND SERVING
Store the leftover kothamalli thogayal in an airtight container. It stays good in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. By adding little water, grind the thovaiyal into a thick paste to have a longer shelf life.
Serve this kothamalli thogayal with any breakfast items like idli, dosai, pongal, adai and also tastes delicious with hot steamed rice with ghee on top.
It can also be served as a sandwich spread or a dip for your evening snacks.
FAQ
1.Can I add coriander stem?
Absolutely! Yes you can add fresh coriander stem along with the leaves as it makes the thovaiyal more flavourful and aromatic.
2.Can I make this without coconut?
Yes you can add peanuts for making this thovaiyal. It adds more creaminess and richness to the dish.
3.How long can I store this thovaiyal?
Store the kothamalli thovaiyal in an airtight container. It stays good for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. For longer shelf life, add less or no water while grinding.
Variations
Tomato coriander / tomato kothimeera chutney : This tomato coriander based chutney is so popular in Andhra cuisine. It is so simple to make and tastes good with idli, dosai, roti. It is prepared by sauteing tomato, chillies, coriander, tamarind, jaggery and then grinded into paste. Followed by basic tempering and ready to enjoy with your meal.
Mint coriander thovaiyal : Add a bunch of mint leaves along with coriander leaves for an amazing and flavourful dip for your breakfast.
Peanut coriander thovaiyal : Add a tablespoon of roasted peanuts while grinding the thovaiyal for a nutty and coarse texture.
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📖 Recipe Card
Kothamalli Thogayal Recipe (Coriander Chutney)
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 105kcal
Nutrition
Serving: 1servings | Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
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