Pudina Thogayal (South Indian Mint Chutney)
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. It can be served with rice or paired with breakfast specials like dosa or adai.
Servings 1 bowl
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
Ingredients and Substitutes -
- 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).