Chinna Vengaya thokku

Chinna Vengaya Thokku, a flavorful South Indian onion relish, is made with shallots (small onions) cooked in a tangy and spicy masala. This traditional thokku pairs perfectly with rice, chapati, or dosa, making it a versatile accompaniment for any meal. The rich flavours of caramelized shallots combined with tamarind, red chili powder, and aromatic spices create a delicious balance of heat and tanginess.

What Makes Chinna Vengaya Thokku Special?

The use of small onions (chinna vengayam) gives this thokku its unique sweetness and depth of flavour. Cooked with a medley of spices and tamarind, it has a well-rounded taste that enhances the simplest of meals.

How to Serve 

• Serve with steamed rice and ghee for a quick and satisfying meal.
• Pair it with chapati, dosa, or idli as a side.
• It can also be used as a spread on toast for a flavourful twist.

Tips for the Best Chinna Vengaya Thokku

• Use fresh shallots for the best flavour.
• Adjust the spice level to suit your preference by modifying the red chili powder.
• Store in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Chinna Vengaya Thokku is a must-try for those who love bold, tangy, and spicy flavors!

Nutritional Benefits of Shallots

Shallots boast a superior nutrient composition compared to regular onions, being rich in antioxidants, iron, vitamins, and minerals. The iron content in shallots is essential for red blood cell function, aiding in hemoglobin production, supporting metabolism, enhancing brain function, and promoting tissue strength by facilitating collagen production. Including shallots in your diet during the summer months is particularly beneficial.

Summer Health Tip

During hot weather, carrying a shallot in your pocket or purse can help combat the heat, making it wise to increase your shallot intake during this season.

A Family Recipe

While I have previously shared a recipe for Vengaya Thogayal made with regular onions, I’m excited to showcase this version using shallots. I learned this recipe from my mom, who prepares an incredibly tasty Chinna Vengaya Thokku. The main task is peeling the shallots, and the rest of the preparation can be done in a flash. This thokku is the perfect travel-friendly side dish!

Please check my recipe for

Peerkangai thogayal

Chutney for chaats

Watermelon rind chutney

Pin this Recipe

Chinna Vengaya thokku / Shallots Chutney

Chinna Vengayam in tamil means shallots.  Shallots have better nutrient profile than onions. They are rich in anti-oxidants, iron, vitamins, minerals. Shallots contain iron, a nutrient your red blood cells need to function. Consuming iron helps your body produce enough hemoglobin to support red blood cell function. Iron also plays a role in your metabolism, facilitates brain function and keeps your tissues strong by helping you produce collagen.

Also it is very good to include it during summer. During summer we can keep one shallot in our pocket or purse. It helps in combating the heat in summer. So it is advisable to consume more shallots during summer. Already I have posted Vengaya thogayal made with onions. And now I am going to use shallots. I got this recipe from my mom. She makes very tasty thokku. The main job is to peel the skin and rest can be made in a jiffy. It is the best side dish that can be taken for travel.

Other Chutney recipes

Chutney for chaats

Watermelon rind chutney

Peerkangai thogayal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Soaking time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 2

Equipment

• Pan
• Mixie

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 kg Shallots
• 1-2 tsp Red chilli powder
• Lemon size Tamarind
• 2-3 tbsp Jaggery
• 3 tbsp Gingelley oil
• To taste Salt

Instructions

 

• Soak the shallots in water for atleast an hour or two.
• This will help to peel the skin easily.Peel the skin thoroughly and if necessary cut it into half.
• In a kadai, add gingelley oil and saute the shallots until they become glassy.
• Allow it to cool.
• Then grind the shallots once and add jaggery, tamarind and salt.
• Grind once again so that they get blended well.Again add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds and saute the ground paste.
• Once the raw smell goes off add red chilli powder and mix well.
• Saute continuously in medium flame.
• The colour of the paste turns from light brown to reddish orange colour to dark brown colour.
• At one stage it reaches halwa consistency and start leaving sides.
• At this stage, turn off the stove.
• You can serve this as a side dish for roti, idli and dosai.

Video

Keyword Chinna Vengaya thokku, chutney, Shallots chutney, Side dish for idli dosai, Thogayal

INSTRUCTIONS

• Soak the shallots in water for atleast an hour or two. This will help to peel the skin easily.
• Peel the skin thoroughly and if necessary cut it into half.

• In a kadai, add gingelley oil and saute the shallots until they become glassy.
• Allow it to cool.

• Then grind the shallots once and add jaggery, tamarind and salt.
• Grind once again so that they get blended well.
• Again add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds and saute the ground paste.
• Once the raw smell goes off add red chilli powder and mix well. Saute continuously in medium flame.
• The colour of the paste turns from light brown to reddish orange colour to dark brown colour.
• At one stage it reaches halwa consistency and start leaving sides. At this stage, turn off the stove.
• You can serve this as a side dish for roti, idli and dosai.

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