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)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_leaves

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