Homemade Tomato Chutney Recipe

Wash and chop

Wash tomatoes, chillies, cilantro. Quarter the tomatoes. Remove stems from chillies. Peel and roughly chop the onion, garlic, and ginger.

Crush tomatoes and chillies

Place the quartered tomatoes and green chillies in a large bowl or mortar. Using a potato masher or heavy spoon (or pulse briefly in a food processor), crush the tomatoes and chillies until they are broken down but still slightly chunky — aim for a coarse crushed texture rather than a fine puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.

Make a coarse paste (optional)

If you prefer the chutney slightly smoother, crush the onion, garlic, and ginger together with a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle or pulse briefly in a food processor. Keep a coarse texture so the chutney retains bite.

Temper spices

Heat vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop (10–20 seconds), add cumin seeds and stir briefly until they release aroma (about 10 seconds).

Sauté aromatics

Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger (or the coarse paste) to the pan. Sauté on medium heat until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Do not brown heavily; reduce heat if necessary.

Add crushed tomatoes

Add the crushed tomatoes and chillies to the pan, stirring to combine. Increase heat slightly to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Season and simmer

Stir in salt, turmeric, and red chili powder/paprika. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chutney thickens and oil separates slightly from the mixture, about 25–30 minutes. Mash occasionally with the back of a spoon or masher to reach your desired texture.

Sweeten and acidify

When the chutney has thickened, stir in jaggery or brown sugar and vinegar. Continue to simmer for another 3–5 minutes so the flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, or vinegar to balance the sweet-sour-salty profile.

Turn off the heat. Stir in lemon juice (if using) and chopped cilantro. Let the chutney cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean jar and refrigerate. The chutney develops more flavor after a few hours; it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.