Does your coconut chutney taste bitter? Here's how to fix it

There’s simply nothing to beat the taste of fresh coconut chutney when served with idlis, dosas, or vadas that are steaming hot. The creamy consistency and the subtle taste can really make the food more palatable. However, what if you were served with coconut chutney and found it extremely bitter tasting? Well, it happens and there is nothing to worry about. You just need to remember that there are several reasons why the chutney tasted bitter.

Common reasons your coconut chutney turns bitter

The main cause could be using stale or old coconuts. Young coconuts naturally have a delicious flavour. With age, their flavour becomes bitter. The same thing may happen with frozen coconuts kept for too long. When using coconuts, one must always check for their odour. When the coconuts emit a strange tangy odour, one should never use them.

Another reason may be the addition of excess quantities of green chillies. Though they provide spice and flavour, excess quantities can make the chutney taste bitter, while also overwhelming its inherent sweetness. It would therefore be a better idea to slowly incorporate the quantity of chillies required into the dish.

Tempering is an important aspect of preparation for coconut chutney. Ingredients typically used for tempering, such as mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and dry red chillies add flavour and aroma to the chutney and if you have burnt or cooked too long then the chutney will taste bitter. Therefore, for best results during temperature make use of a light brown colour during cooking.

Another spice that should be used in moderation is tamarind. It adds a pleasing sourness to chutney but too much could make it rather pungent, possibly even tasting bitter with the coconut mixed together. Adding a bit more coconut would be helpful in this case.

The storage process should be taken care of equally well. It must be kept in mind that the taste of coconut chutney is the best when the chutney is fresh. Keeping the chutney at room temperature for an extended period of time can cause changes in its flavour.

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