Pudina Thogayal (Mint Chutney)

         There are days when you don't feel like eating anything heavy, you crave for something tangy and refreshing, this mint chutney here, is ideal for those days. Also pudina or mint is well known for its many benefits, good source of important minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous and also the vitamin C. Everybody has their own version of this chutney, I also add some ginger to this chutney which nicely compliments the flavor of mint..

Need To Have

• Fresh Mint Leaves - 2 cups
• Dried Red Chillies - 5
• Urad Or Black Gram Dal - 2 tablespoons
• Shallots - 5 chopped
• Chopped Ginger - 1 tablespoon
• Chopped Coriander - 1/4 cup
• Jaggery - 1/2 teaspoon
• Tamarind - small marble size

Method
          Heat a little oil, roast the urad dal and the red chillies, remove and keep. Add a little more oil, add the chopped shallots, saute till it turns transparent, then add the ginger, saute for a minute. Now add the mint leaves, saute till it wilts and the moisture from the leaves evaporates, finally add the coriander leaves, mix and switch off. Cool this and grind it with the roasted chillies, urad dal, jaggery, tamarind and salt. Goes well with plain rice and some sesame oil or ghee. Also tastes great with idlis, dosas and even rotis.

Sending it to Erivum Puliyum for Sangee's Show Me Your "Hits" - Iron Rich Foods event and
                to Simply.Food for Sara's Cooking With Love - Dad event.


Note
Don't grind it to a smooth paste, it should be slightly coarse.
The urad dal that we use in this chutney is without the skin.
Soak the tamarind in little warm water, this way it's easy to grind.