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1
Crack and break open the coconut, then scrape the flesh on a coconut grater to yield fresh grated coconut. Work quickly once it is open, so the flesh stays moist and its milky fragrance does not fade. The flesh must be white, moist, and fragrant — desiccated coconut is not a substitute.
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2
Place the grated coconut, green chilli, ginger, and salt in a blender and add water a little at a time — only as much as is necessary — so the blade catches and the paste stays dense rather than loose and dilute. Blend to a thick, spreadable consistency that is smooth enough to dip with and thick enough to coat a spoon. This is where the dish lives or dies: excess water dissolves the concentrated coconut character that is the preparation's identity.
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3
Transfer the blended chutney to a serving bowl.
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4
Heat the coconut oil in a small pan over high heat and add the mustard seeds, waiting for them to pop before adding anything else, so each spice enters oil that is already fierce enough to bloom it fully. Add the dried red chilli and curry leaves — they will crackle and spit — and keep the heat high so the leaves crisp rather than steam and turn soft. The tadka is ready when the curry leaves are crisp and the oil carries a deep, roasted fragrance.
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5
Pour the hot tadka directly over the blended chutney immediately before serving, so the sizzling oil scorches the surface of the paste and drives the spiced fragrance into it rather than dissipating into the air. The audible sizzle as the hot oil meets the raw paste signals that the preparation is complete.