Nuvvula Pachadi

Ingredients

• - 1 cup sesame seeds (nuvvulu)
• - 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. Roast sesame seeds: Dry roast 1 cup white sesame seeds (nuvvulu) in a pan on medium heat 4-5 minutes stirring constantly until golden and popping. Be careful — they burn fast. Cool completely.
2. Dry roast spices: In the same pan dry roast 3-4 dried red chillies and 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 minutes. Cool.
3. Blend sesame coarsely: Pulse roasted sesame seeds in a blender a few times — do not blend to a paste yet.
4. Add remaining: Add roasted chillies, cumin, 3 garlic cloves, a tiny piece of tamarind and salt. Blend with 3-4 tbsp water to a thick coarse paste.
5. Taste: Nuvvula pachadi should be nutty, slightly sweet from sesame and spicy.
6. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they pop add 1 tsp urad dal, dried red chilli and curry leaves.
7. Pour tempering: Pour sizzling tempering over the sesame pachadi.
8. Adjust consistency: Add a little water if too thick.
9. Stir well: Mix the tempering through the sesame chutney.
10. Serve: Nuvvula pachadi is rich and nutty. Serve with idli, dosa or rice with ghee.