Onion Thokku
- 35 min
- medium
- Serves 4
Onion thokku cooked with soft onions, tamarind, jaggery and mustard seeds. Medium-spicy, serves 4, about 35 minutes, for a chutney or curry accompaniment.
Good for: Lunchbox
Ingredients
Gingelly Oil5 tbsp
Mustard Seeds1 tsp
Urad Dal (split)1 tsp
Curry leaves2 grams
Garlic15 grams
Onion, Thinly Sliced4
Salt1¼ tsp
Turmeric Powder1 grams
Red Chilli Powder6 grams
Tamarind, Soaked15 grams
Water, For Soaking60 ml
Jaggery, Powdered5 grams
Contains: sesame.
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 258kcal | 1032kcal |
| Protein | 2.3g | 9.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 18g | 71g |
| Fat | 20g | 81g |
| Fibre | 2.9g | 12g |
| Sugar | 7.6g | 30g |
Cookd masalas for onion
Method
Soak the tamarind in 60 ml warm water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the onions, and peel and slice the garlic. Rinse and dry the curry leaves, powder the jaggery, then squeeze and strain the tamarind water.
Heat oil in a kadai on medium flame for 1 minute until hot. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter for 30 seconds. Add urad dal, curry leaves and garlic, then fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the dal turns light golden and the garlic loses its raw smell.
Add the sliced onions and salt. Cook on medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions turn soft and light golden.
Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the strained tamarind water. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes.
Add jaggery, the remaining salt and 60 ml water. Cook on low flame for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture becomes thick and oil starts to show at the sides.
Taste and switch off the flame. Cool the thokku for 5 minutes before serving; it will thicken more as it cools.
Before you start
- How long does Onion Thokku take?
- 35 minutes from start to finish. That is 10 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Onion Thokku serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Onion Thokku vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Onion Thokku spicy?
- It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Onion Thokku?
- 4 Onion, 15 grams Tamarind, 5 grams Jaggery, 1 tsp Urad Dal (split), 2 grams Curry leaves, 15 grams Garlic, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Onion Thokku?
- No, it is cooked in an open pot.
- How many calories are in Onion Thokku?
- About 258 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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