Menthya Puli

This is traditional keralite recipe handed down to my mother in law from earlier generations.

Ingredients: Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball; Raw rice - 2 tablespoons; Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoon; Red chillies - 4 - 5; Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp; turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp; green chillies - 2 - 3 (slit in the middle); mustard seeds - 1 tsp; urad dhal - 1 tsp; channa dal - 1/2 tsp; jaggery - 1 lemon sized ball; oil - 1 tsp; salt - to taste

• Method:


• Pour some hot water on the tamarind and soak for 5 minutes. Extract paste from the tamarind and keep aside.


• In a thick bottomed pan, fry together rice, methi seeds and red chillies till golden brown. Cool and grind into a coarse powder. Keep aside.


• Pour oil in the thick bottomed pan and when hot add mustard seeds, urad dhal and channa dhal. When the seeds splutter and the dhal turns red, add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Add tamarind paste and green chillies. Add a little water if required.


• When the paste comes to a boil, add the prepared powder, jaggery and salt. Let it cook for 7 - 8 minutes.


• Cool. This can be stored in the fridge for about 10 days. This goes well with Dosa, idli or rice (especially molagootal / erissery).