White Coconut Chutney Recipe / Saravana Bhavan White Chutney with step-by-step pics and a short Youtube video. If you like my video, please do SUBSCRIBE to my channel ‘Asmallbite’. It is one of the very basic chutney, no matter wherever you go from 5-star hotels, restaurants, food joints, or even street-side food carts, this chutney will always be served on the plate with your Idli, Dosa, Set Dosa, Vadai, etc. In most of the popular hotels, I have seen a pure snow-white colored chutney and I was breaking my head for a long time, how they can get such a color? Though I already know they will discard the brown portion of the coconut and use only the white part, some 2 or 3 years back, I came to know milk is used for grinding, instead of water, with less quantity of fried gram and green chili. Yet, I was hesitant and had a lot of questions wavering in my mind whether the chutney has a bad foul smell? finally tried it one day with very minimal quantity, really believe me! I couldn’t even trace or find the milk smell. So friends here is the perfect recipe for Hotel Adyar Ananda Bhavan or Saravana Bhavan style coconut chutney, do try it and let me know your feedback.
If interested, check my other coconut-based chutneys like Peanut Coconut Chutney, Thick Coconut Chutney, Green Coconut Chutney, Red Chilli Coconut Chutney, etc.
✔ About the Recipe
- Simple to prepare
- Minimal ingredients
- Versatile
- Delicious
- Goes well with almost all breakfast and dinner recipes
✔ Ingredients Used
- Coconut – fresh and moderately tender coconut is the key ingredient
- Fried Gram – also called ‘Pottukadalai’ or ‘Roasted Chana Dal’ lends creaminess
- Green Chilli & Ginger – add spiciness and flavor
Frequently Asked Questions
✔ Can I use desiccated coconut?
- I suggest using freshly grated coconut for a good taste. Yet, desiccated or frozen grated coconut will work but don’t except a good taste and color
✔ Why milk is used for grinding the chutney, will it smell bad?
- Milk gives a bright white color to the chutney-like hotels. It will not smell bad.
✔ I didn’t get a pure white-colored chutney, the reasons?
- Use only the white part of the coconut and discard the brown part
- Always use freshly grated coconut, not frozen or desiccated ones
- Add more coconut and less Fried gram/Pottukadalai
- Never add more green chili
✔ Why the chutney leaves oil sometimes?
- If frozen or desiccated coconut is used, when ground, the chutney leaves oil
- If you microwave or re-heat the chutney (just bring it to room temperature and use it)
- In cold places, coconut leaves oil while grinding( to troubleshoot, use hot or warm water for grinding).
✔ Is the recipe Gluten-Free?
- I have used hing /asafoetida for seasoning, which is not gluten-free. You can skip it for a gluten-free recipe.
✔ Storage Suggestions
- Consume within 2 to 3 hours for a good taste. Still, you can refrigerate and use within 6 hours, not more, as coconut the main ingredient gets spoiled easily.
This White Coconut Chutney Recipe pairs well with

Hotel style white chutney

White Coconut Chutney Recipe | Saravana Bhavan White Chutney
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Mixer
- Kadai / Pan
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Grated coconut / துருவிய தேங்காய்
- 1 tsp Fried Gram / பொட்டுக்கடலை
- 1 Small Green Chilli / பச்சைமிளகாய்
- 1 Small Piece Ginger
- 1 Small Piece Tamarind / புளி
- ¼ Cup Milk / பால்
- Salt / உப்பு As Required
To Temper
- 2 tsp Oil / எண்ணெய்
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds / கடுகு
- ½ tsp Urad Dal / உளுத்தம்பருப்பு
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves / கருவேப்பில்லை
- 1 Generous Pinch Hing / பெருங்காயம்
Instructions
- Measure 1/2 cup of grated coconut, 1 tsp of fried gram, 1 green chili, 1 small piece of tamarind and ginger.Quick Tips: grate only the white part of the coconut and discard the brown part for a white-colored chutney.Then, measure 1/4 cup (approximately depending on the consistency) of boiled and cooled milk for grinding the chutney.Note: Milk is used for grinding, instead of water which lends a nice white color to the chutney.
- To Temper/Season: Measure 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp of urad dal, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and hing.
- To a mixer, add the grated coconut, fried gram, green chili, tamarind, and ginger. Then, add the required salt.
- First, grind it once roughly. Then, add milk little by little.
- Now, grind it smoothly or coarsely as preferred.
- Heat 2 tsp of oil in a small tadka pan and then add the mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add the urad dal.
- Then, add the curry leaves, sprinkle 1 generous pinch of hing, and fry everything till golden color. Switch off the heat.
- Pour the prepared tadka over the chutney.
- Mix everything well and transfer the chutney to a bowl.Serve this Saravana Bhavan White Chutney with Idli Upma or Semiya Upma.
Video
Notes
Tips for Saravana Bhavan White Chutney
- Always use fresh, tender coconut for tasty chutney.
- Use only the white part and do not grate the brown part to get a White Coconut Chutney Recipe.
- Desiccated coconut can also be used. But it won't taste good like fresh coconut.
- If using frozen coconut, thaw for some time and use it.
- A small piece of ginger or garlic can be added for a flavourful chutney.
- Do not add both ginger and garlic at the same time. Use either ginger or garlic only.
- Using more coconut and less Pottukadalai/Fried gram is a must for white-colored chutney.
- Also, use just 1 green chili, not more than that, else it will change the color of the chutney.
- Don’t skip tamarind, as it enhances the taste of the Saravana Bhavan White Chutney.
- Use very little water for thick (getti) chutney. Add more water if you want to make it watery.
- Do not microwave for reheating, just thaw to bring back to room temperature. Reheating makes it release more oil and which results in a stinky coconut smell.

White Coconut Chutney Recipe
Method for White Coconut Chutney Recipe
1. Measure 1/2 cup of grated coconut, 1 tsp of fried gram, 1 green chili, 1 small piece of tamarind and ginger.
Quick Tips: Grate only the white part of the coconut and discard the brown part for a white-colored chutney.
Then, measure 1/4 cup (approximately depending on the consistency) of boiled and cooled milk for grinding the chutney.
Note: Milk is used for grinding, instead of water which lends a nice white color to the chutney.
2. To Temper/Season: Measure 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp of urad dal, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and hing.
3. To a mixer, add the grated coconut, fried gram, green chili, tamarind, and ginger. Then, add the required salt.
4. First, grind it once roughly. Then, add milk little by little.
5. Now, grind it smoothly or coarsely as preferred.
6. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a small tadka pan and then add the mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add the urad dal.
7. Then, add the curry leaves, sprinkle 1 generous pinch of hing, and fry everything till golden color. Switch off the heat.
8. Pour the prepared tadka over the chutney.
9. Mix everything well and transfer the chutney to a bowl.
Serve this Saravana Bhavan White Chutney with Idli Upma or Semiya Upma.

Saravana Bhavan White Chutney Recipe
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