Coconut Thogayal Recipe | Chettinad Thengai Thogayal with step by step pics and a short Youtube video. If you like my video, please do SUBSCRIBE to my channel ‘Asmallbite’. This is a traditional recipe made using freshly grated coconut along with dals and spices. It is the best accompaniment to plain rice, usually served with ghee/gingelly oil. Also, it is one easy-to-make dish that can be paired with Lemon Rice, Temple Style Tamarind Rice, Pepper Rasam, Vathakulambu etc. It is completely different from Coconut Chutney, slightly coarse in texture, and should be ground thick. I like to share a small trick to get the perfect taste is, red chili, tamarind, and salt proportion should be rightly balanced, if either of the ingredient quantity is high, the thogayal turns tangy or spicy.
If interested, check my 100+ Pongal Festival Recipes, Coconut Podi, Coconut Rice, Coconut Milk recipes too.
Check my other Thokku/ Thogayal Recipes like
1. Mint / Pudina Thogayal
2. Ginger Curry / Inji Puli
3. Paruppu Thogayal
4. Tomato Thokku
5. Coriander / Kothamalli Thogayal
6. Lemon Pickle / Elumichai Oorugai

Chettinad Coconut Thogayal

Coconut Thogayal Recipe | Chettinad Thengai Thogayal
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Grated coconut / துருவிய தேங்காய்
- 3 tbsp Urad Dal / உளுத்தம்பருப்பு
- ½ tbsp Channa Dal / கடலைப்பருப்பு
- 4 to 6 Red Chilli / வரமிளகாய்
- 1 Small Gooseberry Sized Tamarind / புளி
- 2 Generous Pinch Hing / பெருங்காயம்
- Salt / உப்பு As Required
Instructions
- Measure and keep the grated coconut (use mature and fresh coconut for a nice taste).
- Then, measure and keep all the other ingredients ready. You can adjust the chilies as per spiciness preferred, (but this thogayal tastes too good if made a bit spicier).
- Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Then, add the urad dal, channa dal, and roast it slightly. Now, add the red chilli's and tamarind.
- Roast everything in low flame, till golden colour, and then sprinkle hing. Ensure not to burn the ingredients, else the thogayal smells bad.
- Now, add the grated coconut and roast for a minute, till nice aroma wafts. Let it cool down.
- Transfer it to a mixer and add the required salt.
- Grind it first without adding any water.
- Just pour 1 or 2 tbsp of water and grind it to a semi-coarse paste.
- Thogayal should be always on the thicker side, so never pour water and grind. Usually, seasoning/tempering is not done for thogayal.Serve this Chettinad Thengai Thogayal with rice and Tomato Rasam.
Video
Notes
Tips for Chettinad Thengai Thogayal
1. Use fresh and mature coconut for a tasty Chettinad Thengai Thogayal. 2. If you don’t have access to fresh coconut, use desiccated coconut. Just ensure not to burn or over roast them.3. If using frozen coconut, thaw it completely before sauteing with the lentils. Coconut can be microwaved for 30 seconds for quick defrosting. 4. This thogayal can be prepared with urad dal or channa dal alone. But I used both the dals. 5. Adjust red chilli as per spiciness required for this Coconut Thogayal Recipe. 6. In addition, even 1/2 tsp of peppercorns can be roasted and ground with other ingredients. 7. Don't skip tamarind, as it lends a nice tangy taste. Even, 1/4 tsp of tamarind paste can be used. 8. Don't burn the ingredients while roasting, else the thogayal tastes bitter. 9.If preferred 1/2 tsp of jaggery can be used, it enhances the taste of the thogayal. 10. Always thogayal should be on the thicker side, so add very little water only while grinding. 11. Usually, seasoning is not done for thogayal. But if preferred, you can do it. 12.Consume the thogayal within 2 to 3 hours for freshness. If you are planning to keep the thogayal for 2-3 days sauté coconut well and avoid using hands while transferring into the storage container

Thengai Thogayal Recipe
Method for Coconut Thogayal Recipe
1. Measure and keep the grated coconut (use mature and fresh coconut for a nice taste).
2. Then, measure and keep all the other ingredients ready. You can adjust the chilies as per spiciness preferred, (but this thogayal tastes too good if made a bit spicier).
3. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Then, add the urad dal, channa dal, and roast it slightly. Now, add the red chilli’s and tamarind.
4. Roast everything in low flame, till golden colour, and then sprinkle hing. Ensure not to burn the ingredients, else the thogayal smells bad.
5. Now, add the grated coconut and roast for a minute, till nice aroma wafts. Let it cool down.
6. Transfer it to a mixer and add the required salt.
7. Grind it first without adding any water.
8. Just pour 1 or 2 tbsp of water and grind it to a semi-coarse paste.
9. Thogayal should be always on the thicker side, so never pour water and grind. Usually, seasoning/tempering is not done for thogayal.
Serve this Chettinad Thengai Thogayal with rice and Tomato Rasam.

Chettinad Thengai Thogayal Recipe
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