Pudina Thuvaiyal (Mint Chutney)

Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Fresh pudina (mint) leaves, washed and roughly chopped
  • 6 to 8 Red Chillies (adjust based on spice preference)
  • 4-5 Garlic cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1-inch Ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp Urad dal
  • Tamarind paste (or a small gooseberry-sized ball of tamarind)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • Water as needed for grinding
  • A pinch of Asafoetida

For the Tempering:

  • 1 tsp Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Urad dal

Instructions

Preparing the Chutney Base

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
Add the urad dal, chana dal, and asafoetida. Sauté until the dal turns golden brown.
Add the red chillies, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for another 2 minutes. And fry for another 2 minutes or until it turns slightly golden.
Now, add the pudina leaves. Sauté until the leaves wilt.
Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.

Grinding:

Transfer the cooled mixture to a blender. Add tamarind and salt. Grind the mix, adding water as required, to achieve a chutney-like consistency. The texture can be slightly coarse or smooth, based on your preference.

Tempering:

In the same pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the urad dal. Pour this tempering over the prepared thuvaiyal.

Serving:

Serve the Pudina Thuvaiyal with hot steamed rice, dosa, or idli.

Note:

Tamarind and mint give this chutney a tangy and refreshing taste. If you find the chutney too spicy, you can reduce the number of green chillies. The consistency of thuvaiyal is generally thicker than regular chutneys, so only add a little water while grinding.