Karivepaku Pachadi

Ingredients

• - 1 cup curry leaves
• - 2 tbsp oil
• - 2 green chillies
• - 2 garlic cloves
• - Small piece tamarind
• - 1 tsp mustard seeds
• - 1/2 tsp urad dal
• - 2 dried red chillies
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash curry leaves: Wash a large bundle of fresh karivepaku (curry leaves) thoroughly. Shake off excess water. Spread on a plate and air dry for 10 minutes.
2. Dry roast curry leaves: Heat a pan on medium. Add curry leaves and dry roast 3-4 minutes stirring until crispy but not burnt. They should crumble easily.
3. Dry roast other spices: Add 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 tsp urad dal and 4 dried red chillies. Dry roast 3 minutes. Cool.
4. Fry garlic: Heat 1 tsp oil. Fry 5 garlic cloves until golden. Cool.
5. Blend: Add roasted curry leaves, roasted dals, fried garlic, a pea-sized tamarind and salt to a blender. Blend to a fine dry powder or coarse paste with very little water.
6. Taste: Karivepaku pachadi should be intensely aromatic from the roasted curry leaves.
7. Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they pop add 1 dried red chilli and curry leaves.
8. Pour tempering: Pour tempering over the pachadi. Mix well.
9. Adjust: Taste and add salt.
10. Serve: Karivepaku pachadi is a powerfully flavoured Andhra condiment. Serve with hot rice and ghee or with dosa.