Pudina Chutney | Mint Chutney | Pudina Thogayal : Iyengar Style

Pudina Thogayal is a South Indian version of the mint chutney that is popularly consumed as a side dish for steamed rice. It is very flavorful and goes well with so many South Indian items like dosa, akki rotti, or uttappam. I make this chutney mostly in summers as I harvest mint once in 15 days (I grow it in my balcony garden). Also, mint helps cool down your body in hot and humid summer days.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Serves: Makes about 1.5 cups of thogayal

Notes: 

• Pick only the leaves from the mint leaves and discard the stem
• Cilantro can be washed and used along with the tender stems. 
• The stems of the cilantro adds volume to the thogayal and also makes it flavorful.
• Do not add more water while making a coarse paste. The thogayal needs to be thick. Add a teaspoon of water at a time and continue grinding.

Ingredients:

Pudina | Mint leaves:1.5 cups tightly packed, refer notes

Coriander leaves | Cilantro: 1/2 cup, refer notes

Dry coconut: 1/4 cup

Green chilies: 4 nos, adjust accordingly

Tamarind: a big grape sized or about 1 tsp of thick tamarind extract

Urad dal | Black gram dal | Uddinabele: 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Oil: 1 tsp

Salt: As needed

Water: As needed

For tempering:
Oil: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 4 nos, torn

Broken red chili: 1 no

Method:
Wash the mint and coriander leaves thoroughly and roughly chop them.

In a broad wok, heat oil. When oil is hot, roast the urad dal until golden brown.

When the dal is golden brown, add the green chili and saute for 15 secs.

Add the roughly chopped mint and cilantro. Saute till the leaves wilt and become soft.

When leaves are soft, add the turmeric powder, salt and the tamarind. Turn off the heat and allow the leaves to cool for about 5 minutes.

Scoop out the cooked mint mixture to a blender or mixie jar. Add the grated dry coconut and make a coarse paste out of it. Add couple of tablespoons of water, if needed.
Heat oil in a wok. When oil is hot, add the mustard seeds.

When seeds crackle, add curry leaves and broken red chili.
Scoop out the chutney paste to the wok that has the tempering and heat the chutney until the extra water is absorbed. Cook the thogayal on a low heat for about 3-5 mins.

Turn off the heat. Allow it to cool and serve it with rice or dosa.

Peanut Mint Dip | Pudina Peanut Chutney | Pudina Kadlebeeja Chutney: Side dish for idli-dosa

I have posted so many dosa | idli | guliappa recipes but few chutney recipes. So, from now on, I will put up the chutney recipes that I often make.

Chutney at my place has to be with fresh coconut. However, there are a couple of chutney's that I make without coconut. This chutney is one such.

Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: Nil
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:
For the chutney:
Roasted peanuts: 1/2 cup (refer notes)
Grated dry coconut/copra: 1/4th cup
Mint leaves: 1/4th cup, loosely packed
Salt: As needed
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp, optional
Sugar: a big pinch, optional
Water: As needed to adjust the consistency

For tempering:
Oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Black gram seeds/urad dal: 1/2 tsp

 

Method:
Put all the things mentioned for the chutney in a food processor. Add couple of tablespoons of water at a time & blend. Make a slightly coarse paste.
Scoop out the chutney & adjust the consistency of the chutney according to your preference. We like our chutney thick & not watery.
Prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a small pan. When hot, add mustard seeds & black gram seeds. When seeds turn golden brown, pour the tempering over the chutney & mix.
Serve it with idlis, dosa or paddu.

 

Notes:

• I buy the unsalted roasted peanuts from the supermarket & use it for this chutney.
• You could replace dry coconut with the fresh coconut.