Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mint/Mentha chutney - Pudhina chutney


Ingredients:
Mint - Pudhina - 2 bunches
Onion - Vengayam - 1 no. (Small)
Tomato - Thakkali - 1 no. (Medium)
Ginger - Inji - small piece
Garlic - Poondu - 1 piece
Green Chilly - Pachai Milagai - 2 nos
Red Chilly - Varuttha Milagai - 3 nos.
Fenugreek - Vendhayam - 1 tea spoon
Bengal gram - Kadalai paruppu - 1 tea spoon
Black gram - Ulluntham paruppu - 1 tea spoon
Pepper - Milagu - 1 tea spoon
Cumin seeds - Jeeragam - 1 tea spoon
Asafoetida - Perungayam - a pinch
Tamarind - Puli - small lemon size
Curry leaves - Karuvepilai
Salt to taste
2 spoons of oil for frying
Method:
  1. Wash Mint Leaves (2 or 3 times).
  2. Slice required amount of onion and tomato.
  3. Fry in a pan or kadai adding little oil with the following contents:
    Bengal gram, black gram, tamarind, ginger, garlic, green chillies and red chillies, fenugreek, pepper, cumin seeds, curry leaves, onion, tomato and finally mint leaves, add salt and hing to taste (Grated coconut can be added according to taste)
  4. Keep heat at optimum level. When the fry turns brown transfer the content to another vessel to cool it off (for some 2 minutes). Use a chopper to grind the contents.
Enjoy your Mint chutney! It can be served for 2 people. Requires some 15 minutes to cook.

Note: Use only required amount of water while grinding, not too much, as it will become very dilute.
Optional: Can fry mustard, curry leaves and black gram in 1 teaspoon of oil and add to the required contents if required - Seasoning (Traditional finishing step - Thalippu)
A good cook is the peculiar gift of the gods. He must be a perfect creature from the brain to the palate, from the palate to the finger's end.
Walter Savage Landor

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