Menthi Pachadi

Ingredients

• - 1 cup fenugreek seeds
• - 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. Toast fenugreek seeds: Dry roast 1 tsp fenugreek (menthi) seeds in a pan 3-4 minutes until dark golden. Be careful — they become bitter if burnt. Cool.
2. Dry roast other spices: In the same pan roast 1 tbsp chana dal, 2-3 dried red chillies and 1 tsp cumin 3 minutes. Cool.
3. Fry shallots and garlic: Heat 1 tsp oil. Fry 5 shallots and 4 garlic cloves until golden. Cool.
4. Blend: Add toasted fenugreek, roasted dals, fried shallots and garlic, a marble-sized tamarind and salt to a blender. Add 1 tsp jaggery. Blend with minimal water to a thick paste.
5. Taste: Menthi pachadi has a distinctive pleasant bitterness from fenugreek balanced by jaggery. Adjust balance.
6. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they pop add 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.
7. Pour tempering: Pour sizzling tempering over the chutney.
8. Mix well: Mix the tempering through the pachadi.
9. Adjust: Taste and balance bitterness with more jaggery if needed.
10. Serve: Menthi pachadi is an Andhra digestive condiment. Serve with rice or use as a marinade for meats.