Pudina Thogayal or thuvaiyal is a delicious South Indian Mint Chutney with coconut, tamarind and lentils. It is spicy, tangy and refreshing with mint flavor. This Pudina thuvayial can be served with rice or paired with breakfast specials like dosa or adai.
Thogayal can be paired with curd rice or variety rice. The recipe I share today uses fresh Pudina (Mint in English).
Mint is quite cooling for the body. It builds appetite and helps in digestion.
One can make thogayal with coriander / cilantro, curry leaves or similar herbs. It can be made using vegetable peels.
The recipe is pretty basic and ingredients may be available easily in a South Indian pantry. You can use fresh or frozen coconut for the recipe. Read notes in the recipe card below
Jump to:
Ingredients
Lentils - Lentils or dal is what sets apart thogayal from regular chutney. Urad Dal and Chana Dal are used for the recipe.
Fresh Mint Leaves
Tamarind - I have used seedless variety of tamarind. It is dark in color.
Fresh or Frozen Coconut - Thaw coconut or use hot water while grinding thogayal.
Thogayal is spicy and tangy in taste. The heat comes from dry red chilies and tamarind is used for tartness. This is balanced by adding some jaggery.
Kashmiri red chilies (for the color), guntur chilies (the variety I have used - for heat) are top choices. Quantity can be adjusted.
For roasting the lentils and dry chilies, I prefer using Coconut oil. You can use sesame oil or sunflower oil.
Water - The consistency of thogayal is thick. Adding sufficient water while grinding chutney is important.
Pudina chutney is gluten free (unless you add asafoetida or hing) and Vegan.
How to Make Pudina Thogayal
Rinse and drain the mint leaves in a colander. Pat dry and keep aside.
Heat a pan, add oil, lentils (urad dal and chana dal) and whole dry red chilies. Roast lentils until they appear golden brown. The chilies should crisp up.
Add fresh mint leaves and saute until mint leaves shrink or reduce in volume.
Next add coconut, mix once and switch off the heat / flame.
Add jaggery, a marble size tamarind and let it cool before grinding.
Transfer the ingredients to a mixer grinder jar or chutney jar, add salt to taste and asafoetida (hing).
Add couple of tablespoons of water and grind the thogayal into a thick consistency (refer pic below).
Serving Suggestion
Show of hands if you like the combination of steamed rice with a dollop of thogayal and sesame oil drizzled on top!
I make a small batch of thogayal after festivals. It is a refreshing change to the palate post-festival binge.
You can serve with thogayal with sambar-rice, rasam-rice and poriyal or thoran. Some sutta appalam (roasted papad) tastes great.
Storage / Leftovers
Store thogayal in an airtight container. Refrigerate leftovers. Stays fresh for 1-2 days.
Use a clean, dry spoon to scoop out the chutney from the jar.
More Thogayal recipes to try
Vepampoo Thogayal (dried neem flowers)
Peerkangai Thol thogayal (ridge gourd peel chutney)
Thengai Thogayal (Coconut)
Please take a moment to LEAVE A COMMENT and a STAR * rating on the blog. It would encourage others to try the recipe or you could TAG US on any of our social media handles –INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, FACEBOOK PAGE AND PINTEREST.
Pudina Thogayal (South Indian Mint Chutney)
Equipment
- Mixer Grinder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Urad Dal
- 1 tablespoon Chana Dal
- 1 cup Pudina Leaves or Mint Leaves
- 1/3 cup Fresh Grated Coconut
- 8-10 Whole Red Chillies I have used Guntur Chillies
- 1 Marble Sized Tamarind
- ½ tablespoon Jaggery read notes below
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil or use sesame oi, sunflower oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Hing or Asafoetida Omit this ingredient for gluten free recipe
- Salt to taste
- Water as required to grind the thogayal
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the mint leaves in a colander. Pat dry and keep aside.
- Heat a pan, add oil, lentils (urad dal and chana dal) and whole dry red chilies.
- Roast the lentils until the appear golden brown. The chilies should crisp up (refer pic).
- Add fresh mint leaves and sauté until mint leaves shrink or reduce in volume.
- You will see that the mint leaves would wilt and reduce in volume.
- Next add coconut, mix once and switch off the heat / flame.
- Add jaggery, a marble size tamarind and let it cool before grinding.
- Transfer the ingredients to a mixer grinder jar or chutney jar, add salt to taste and asafoetida (hing).
- Add couple of tablespoons of water and grind the thogayal into a thick consistency (refer pic below).
- Store the thogayal in a clean and dry glass jar.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen coconut. If using frozen coconut, thaw or use hot water while grinding.
- I have used guntur red chilies. You can use kashmiri red chilies (not quite hot). Quantity can be adjusted.
- Quantity of jaggery will depend on quantity of red chilies used. Adjust as required. Some jaggery is required to balance flavors.
- I have used seedless variety of tamarind.
- I have used coconut oil. You can use sesame oil or sunflower oil.
- Water - The consistency of thogayal is thick. Adding sufficient water while grinding chutney is important. Use a spoon to add water else you will end up with a runny chutney.
- Pudina chutney is vegan. For gluten-free recipe, omit asafoetida (hing).
Please subscribe to our website to receive all the delicious recipes in your mail box.
We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan