Thengai Thuvayal is one of the easiest recipes to make with roasted lentils, chilies, and coconut. This thogayal pairs wonderfully with hot rice and dollop of ghee or oil.
I consider thengai thogayal to be the ultimate comfort food. I grew up eating this coconut thuvayal on top of steaming hot rice and a lot of ghee. Amma would usually make Milagu Jeera rasam to go with it and we will eat it either with some kind of roasted curry or just appalam (papad).
There are days when we have no fresh produce and this thogayal is the perfect recipe for those days. My mother used to make it as a quick dinner on days when we travel and come home after a long day.
Why does this recipe work?
First and foremost this is a very quick recipe with just the basic ingredients. We always have coconut available in the South Indian kitchen and that makes it even easier.
The thengai thogayal tastes amazing with rice. We don't need any fancy main dish to go with it.
It is absolutely delicious. So delicious that you will come back for more.
It is vegan and gluten-free. Just make sure that the asafetida you use for the recipe is gluten-free as it usually has some wheat flour mixed with it.
Ingredients needed
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes.
Coconut - We need freshly grated coconut to make the thengai thuvayal. I have always been using grated frozen coconut and it works well. Check the notes in the bottom to see how to use the frozen coconut.
Lentil - We use urad dal for thuvayal. We can use split ullutham paruppu or whole.
Seasoning - We use mustard seeds and asafetida to season.
Chilies - I use both fresh green chilies and dry red chilies when making my coconut thuvayal. We can skip the green chilies and just use the dry red chilies as well. But my mother always used fresh ones for flavor.
Oil - We use a little oil to fry the ingredients. I prefer to use coconut oil but we can use any cooking oil.
Tamarind - A little fresh tamarind is used when grinding the thuvayal. If fresh tamarind is not available, we can use the tamarind paste dissolved in a little water.
Step-by-step process
- Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, add the ullatham paruppu, red chilies, green chilies, and asafetida. Fry until the lentils are golden brown.
- Now add the grated fresh coconut and fry it for 3-4 more minutes on low flame. Take care not to burn the coconut. The coconut need not be fried until it is brown.
- Cool down the coconut mixture slightly and then put it in a blender along with salt and tamarind.
- Grind it into a coarse paste adding a little water.
- Serve with hot rice!
Expert Tips
- Use fresh coconut to make the best-tasting thengai thuvayal.
- Consume the thogayal as soon as it is made for the best flavors.
- Grind the thogayal adding as little water as possible.
- It is not necessary to fry the coconut until it changes color. Just fry it until it is aromatic.
- Serve with hot rice and ghee or sesame oil for the best flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grated fresh coconut works the best. I use the frozen grated coconut and it works very well. Before using in the recipe, I thaw the frozen coconut by letting it sit out in room temperature for few minutes or microwaving it for about 30 seconds.
Coconut thogayal does not need to be seasoned after. We add the seasoning ingredients before frying. Then whole mixture is ground along with the coconut. If needed, my mother would take out some mustard seeds and lentils after the initial frying and keep it aside to add later to the thogayal.
Thengai thuvayal needs to be refrigerated after a few hours. Especially in hotter places, it needs to go into the refrigerator sooner. It stays well in the refrigerator for a couple of days but spoils after that. It is best eaten when fresh. So I would recommend making smaller batches fresh.
Thengai thuvayal is usually ground a little coarse. Again, it is a personal preference as well. My father likes his thogayal coarse and my husband likes it smooth. So I make it somewhere in between. Also, the thogayal is usually a little thicker than coconut chutney in consistency.
Tamarind adds a layer of flavor to the thogayal. I soak my tamarind piece in a little hot water to soften it and then grind it with the rest of the ingredients. If fresh tamarind is not available. we can dissolve ½ teaspoon of tamarind paste in hot water and use it.
More Thuvayal / thogayal recipes
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Recipe
Thengai Thuvayal | Fried Coconut Chutney
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup Grated fresh coconut
- 2 tbsp Ullatham paruppu /urad dal
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chilies
- 2 green chilies
- ¼ tsp Asafetida
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- ¼ tsp Tamarind
- to taste Salt
Instructions
- Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, add the ullatham paruppu, red chilies, green chilies and asafetida. Fry until the paruppu is golden brown.
- Now add the grated fresh coconut and fry it for 3-4 more minutes in low flame. Take care not to burn the coconut. The coconut need not be fried until it is brown.
- Cool down the coconut mixture slightly and then put it in a blender along with salt and tamarind.
- Grind it into coarse paste adding little water.
- Serve with hot rice!
Notes
- Use fresh coconut to make the best tasting thengai thuvayal.
- Consume the thogayal as soon as it is made for the best flavors.
- Grind the thogayal adding as little water as possible.
- It is not necessary to fry the coconut until it changes color. Just fry it until it is aromatic.
- Serve with hot rice and ghee or sesame oil for best flavors.
Priya Srinivasan says
Thengai thogayal looks delicious sandhya! I m a thogayal lover, I need one very week, thengai thogayal with hot rice and gingely oil, bliss ❤️
Poonam bachhav says
I love coconut based chutneys and this one with black lentils sounds absolutely flavorful ! Perfect pair with some idlis .
Lata Lala says
Coconut is my favorite and look at this delicious Thengai Thuvayal. Certainly this one is the easiest recipe to make chutney. It's a bliss to savour it with hot rice and dollop of ghee.
Mayuri Patel says
I've always enjoyed Fried Coconut Chutney with Idli and Dosa. Have never thought of enjoying it with some rice. Got to try that. I love coconut chutney and you're so right it needs to be enjoyed when absolutely fresh.
Uma Srinivas says
Fried coconut chutney looks yummy and I bet this chutney tatse amazing with rice and dosa as well!
Archana says
😀 I am in love with this delicious tehngai thuvayal! Looks, sounds and I am sure will taste just as yum! Lovely share.
sushma says
Good one. Good to go with any tiffin
Pavani N says
Chutney looks delicious. yummy!!
Gayathri Kumar says
Roasting coconut must make this thuvaiyal flavourful. Love to have it with hot rice..
vaishali sabnani says
Very interesting..looks too good..and like this version:))
Sona S says
delicious thogayal, love this with rice.
Priya Suresh says
Omg, can guess how delicious this chutney will be with a bowl or rice porridge.
divya says
looks soooo tempting n delicious....
The Pumpkin Farm says
interesting, never thought of coconut based chutney with steamed rice, but i am sure it tastes delicious
sangeetha pn says
This must be yummy! Loved the fried version!