Pudhina / Mint Thokku

This weekend I had planned on trying some new dishes and all the planning went to bits when Hubby dear informed me that he will be out of town. So I had to take Arun to his Exam centre. He sat for Hindi Prathmic exam yesterday. Saturday saw me scuttling between his hindi class teacher?s home, Arjun school?s PTA meeting and packing for my better half.

While I was waiting for Arun to complete his exam I came across a person whose face looked very familiar. It took me a moment to register that, another moment to search my mind and bang it clicked. I could certainly see the same reactions on her face. She was my class mate and we are seeing each other after such a long, long time. Oh Boy! Time does fly. We filled in on the gaps, exchanged addresses and phone numbers. It was so nice to meet a person after a long time and the feeling is like a rain after a long dry spell. We promised each other to keep in touch often in future and not to get lost in the sea of life.

Anyway I made this yesterday night as Hubby dear loves this so much. I bought a couple of bunches of fresh mint bunch on my way back home and set about doing this immediately. Here is the recipe....

Pudina / mint leaves ? 1 bunch

Whole dry red chillies ? 8 to 10 nos

Mustard seeds ? 2 tbsp

Fenugreek ? 2 tsp

Garlic -  6 pods

Jaggery ? 1 tsp

Tamarind ? small lemon size

Salt - taste 

Oil - 1/2 cup

Clean and wash the pudina leaves and drain over a cloth and let it dry for half an hour. Soak the tamarind in some hot water.

In a kadai heat 1 tsp oil and roast the garlic pods till brown and keep aside. Heat the remaining oil  and add the mustard seeds when they splutter add the fenugreek seeds and roast till brown. Now add the pudina leaves and sauté till they shrink in size and a nice aroma arises.

Transfer the contents to a mixer jar. Add the sautéed garlic, jaggery, salt, soaked tamarind and grind them to a coarse paste. If needed add the soaked tamarind water for grinding. Transfer the contents to a clean, dry container and use as needed.

This goes well with idlis, dosas and curd rice. Remember to use a dry spoon. The self life of this thokku is for 10 days in room temperature and 1 month when stored refrigerated. 

 

This is off to Herbs & flowers in my platter - Mint hosted by PJ.

Note: I used Gingelly oil for making this thokku but you can use any oil of your choice.