Pudina Podi | Mint flavored spice mix - Vegan & GF

 Mint or pudina is a very flavorful and aromatic herb with a lot of medicinal benefits.  Pudina / mint aids in digestion and helps in preventing flatulence and acidity.  It is also used as a mouth freshner and keeps us free from bad breath . Preparing a concoction of pudina leaves helps in managing indigestion. 

Indian cooking makes use of pudina in a variety of ways .Biryanis , gravies and  pulao are always flavored with this delicious herb and the taste is absolutely delectable. In South indian cooking, pudina is widely used in chutneys, podis and thuvayals (thick form of chutney).

I have already given the recipe of Pudina Thogayal , a typical recipe in a Tamil home on my blog.  Pudina flavored buttermilk is another lip smacking drink which is very soothing after a heavy festive meal . It can be savored on a hot sunny day to keep the body cool and hydrated . If you are a pulao loving person, then you must try out my Chutney Pulao and serve it with some thick chilled yogurt .

I frequently make pudina parathas and also pudina podi  in winter when fresh mint is available in abundance.  This week when Aruna suggested the theme for the 278th Foodie Monday Bloghop event as #SpiceMixSecrets , it was then that I realized how silly of me to have missed to blog this lipsmacking spice mix which is a regular in my pantry . Head to Aruna's blog for some authentic tongue tickling Andhra special recipes and donot miss to check on the traditional Gongura Pulihora on her blog .

Pudina podi can be served with idlis , dosas , spread on rotis with a generous spread of ghee or mix it with piping hot rice and enjoy it as the first course of your lunch.  I am sure it will tickle your taste buds and increase your appetite to enjoy the rest of your meal.  

Make sure you use only fresh pudina as when the leaves begin to wilt they will start to turn bitter.  Also, donot over roast or grind the mint leaves too much because it will start releasing the oil and the taste will be very different and not as desired . You will just have to pulse the roasted pudina to ensure that you don't go over board grinding the leaves .

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Preparation Time - 15 mins
Cooking Time - 10 mins
Complexity - simple
Serves - 3 to 4 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup udad dhall /black gram /ulutham paruppu 
2 handfuls cleaned pudina leaves 
4 to 5 byadgi chillies  or 2 to 3 guntur chillies 
1 tsp pepper corns
Salt as  needed 
Pinch of asafoetida (skip for Gluten-free)
1/4 tsp sugar 
1 tsp oil

Method 

• Clean the mint leaves under running water and pat dry them on a kitchen towel and set aside. Use only the leaves and very tender stems . 
• In a pan , heat oil and start roasting the udad dhall on medium flame. 
• When the dhall begins to turn crisp add the pepper corns and the dry chillies and continue roasting till the udad dhall turns golden brown and crunchy . Transfer to a plate and let it cool for a while .
• In the same pan, roast the pudina leaves till they turn crisp . Donot over roast or burn the leaves.  Transfer the roasted leaves  on a plate and let it cool.
• In a blender, transfer the roasted dhal ,chillies ,pepper corns along with some salt , sugar and asafoetida. Skip the asafoetida if you are following gluten free diet .
• Blend the ingredients till they turn into a semi coarse powder , now add the roasted pudina and quickly pulse 2 to 3 times just enough to blend with the dhall mixture .
• Let it cool down and then transfer to an air tight container and keep away from moisture..always use a dry spoon. 

Pudina Chaas | Mint Buttermilk

The bacterial fermentation of milk using a starter culture is what gives us Yogurt or what we call as Curd/Dahi in India . This bacteria  present in the culture acts on the lactose in the milk during the process of fermentation and that is how Dahi is formed. This video on my YouTube channel demonstrates how to set thick Yogurt /Dahi at home. 

It is only in India where we use the term Curd for  home made yogurt while Curd actually refers to the part left after the curdling of the milk by adding an external substance like vinegar or lime or citric acid . Paneer or Chenna is the product that is got after the milk undergoes coagulation or curdling. 

 An Indian meal is never complete without the Dahi component in some form or the other . South Indians love to end their meal with some yummy curd rice with pickle while the North Indians love to end their meal with some chilled Chaas or sweet lassi . 

If you all are wondering why so much detailing about Curd/Dahi , it is because this week in our Foodie Monday Bloghop group, the theme is Curd or Dahi . We were given a choice by Poonam  to select between Tomato based or curd based recipes and needless to say Curd won the votes hands down and we named this week as Dahi Delights .. Poonam who blogs at Annapurna has some amazing recipes on her blog which you must definitely check but as it is curd based theme , do try her Curd Quinoa which is inspired from the famous curd rice /thayir saadham.  A fantastic twist using Quinoa . 

Use of Dahi in Indian Cuisine

Apart from lassi or chaas , Dahi is used in a lot of main stream dishes in both South as well as north Indian cuisine . There are many such lip-smacking famous recipes on my blog and I shall share the links in this post which you must try if you are  a dahi lover like me . 

Kerala special

Aviyal 

Kaalan

Mambazha (Mango) Mor kootan 

Tamilnadu Special

Morekuzhambu 

Irupuli Kuzhambu 

Mor Rasam 

Curd Rice/Thayir Saadham

Gujurat Special

Gujarati Kadhi 

Fajeto (Aam  Kadhi)

Karnataka Special

Udupi Majjige Huli 

Raita Varieties 

Mix veg raita 

Kumaoni Raita 

Sweet potato pachadi /raita

What is chaas/buttermilk?

Chaas is whisked yogurt that is diluted with some water  and seasoned with salt and some mild spices like cumin powder, asafoetida , jaljeera etc .Neer mor is the south Indian version of chaas and has ginger , curry leaves, green chillies as flavoring agent

Today's recipe is nothing complicated or fancy but a very flavorful Pudina or Mint flavored buttermilk which is very very refreshing on a hot summer afternoon. Mint as we know has a lot of health  benefits especially related to aiding digestion and preventing stomach disorders. Summers are time when we need to keep our body and stomach cool , which is why this pudina chaas is all the more recommended. 

Buttermilk Variations

Neer mor ,

Vazhaithandu Mor (Banana Stem BM)

Masala Chaas 

Preparation Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - Nil 

Complexity easy 

Makes - 500 to 600ml.

Ingredients 

10 to 12 fresh mint leaves 

1 small green chilly

Small piece of ginger 

200 ml or 2 cups thick curd /dahi 

400 ml chilled water 

Salt as needed 

Pinch of black salt 

Method 

• Blend the mint leaves , chilly,ginger and salt with little water into a fine paste and set aside 
• Whisk the curd using an electric beater or manual whisk till it appears creamy.  
• Add the ground mint paste, salt , black salt and chilled water and whisk it again until it appears nice and frothy. Adjust salt based on your need.
• Pour into glasses and enjoy with your meal or keep it refrigerated until your lunch time.

Note

1. Don't use sour curd as it will change the taste of the buttermilk .
2. Preferably use freshly set curd and make sure you whisk it properly so that the cream blends with the curd and doesn't float on top .
3. You can also add some coriander while grinding the paste for added flavor .

linking this to foodie Monday bloghop week #255 - Dahi Delights 

Jaljeera | Jaljira

Jaljeera is an Indian drink which is served as a starter before any meal and a very tasty appetizer.  This drink helps in digestion as well a very good source of hydration in peak summer. 

Jal jeera loosely translates to cumin water.  Cumin as we know has lot of medicinal properties and plays a vital role in aiding digestion and preventing stomach disorders .

Jaljeera is flavored with fresh herbs and spices like black salt, rock salt, ginger ,  fresh mint and some lemon juice to make it all the more tasty .

This drink can be easily prepared at home and relished during summers.  We can make a big jar of this healthy and tasty drink and refrigerate it .

Instead of sugar , I have added jaggery powder which makes it all the more healthy.

Jaljeera can  be served in various ways . Some love to have the drink topped with lot of boondi while some like it with a fizz by adding club soda instead of plain water .

Preparation Time : 5 mins

Cooking time : Nil 

Makes 3 to 4 glasses 

Complexity: simple 

Ingredients 

10 to 15 mint leaves 

Small piece of ginger  chopped

2 tablespoon  jaggery powder 

1 lemon

Small piece of ginger  

2 tsp roasted jeera powder

1 tsp chat masala 

1/2 tsp black salt 

1 tsp salt 

500 ml chilled water 

Method 

• In a blender jar , add the  mint leaves, ginger ,jaggery powder , jeera powder , salt, black salt, chat masala and grind into a fine paste with little water .
• Strain this using a strainer and collect the extract in a big vessel .
• Add in the chilled  water to this extract and the lime juice squeezed from the lemon.
• Stir it well and serve chilled. 

Notes

1. Adjust jaggery if you want it a little more sweet .
2. Store bought jaljeera powder can also be used to prepare this drink . In that case, skip the additional usage of chat masala, black salt and roasted jeera powder. 

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Pudina Paratha / Mint Flat Bread

Mint /Pudina has a very distinctive flavor and taste. It enhances the taste of any recipe and the outcome is simply great. Considering the many medicinal effects that Pudina possesses its best if included in some for or the other in our daily diet. After having seen the use of Pudina in Pudina Thuvayal,Mint Corriander chutney for chats / sandwiches,now let us see how we can make tasty parathas with this wonderful herb. Perfect for patients with diabetes and fitness freaks. The parathas can be made oil free too.

Preparation Time : 45 mins
Cooking Time : 15 - 20 mins
Makes about 8-10 parathas

Pudina Paratha

Pudina Thogayal | Pudina Thohayal - Vegan

Pudina Thogayal or Mint Thogayal is very common in our household. The flavour of mint gives a refreshing treat to the taste buds. Thogayal is a south indian style chutney and makes used of roasted lentils and coconut.  The roasted lentils give the thogayal a nice volume and nutty texture while the coconut adds up to taste with a mild sweetness .

Mint as we all know is widely used in Indian cuisine.  As much as it is flavorful and aromatic,pudina has a lot of health benefits especially related to digestion and acidity . Pudina has a slightly pungent taste and hence it is always used in combination with other ingredients and spices so that the pungency can be balanced out .

In summers ,Jaljeera and Pudina Chaas are very refreshing and also hydrating when consumed with daily meal .

Pudina Thohayal tastes delicious when served alongside a simple kootu (South indian style dal curry ),  mor kuzhambu(yogurt curry) or even a coconut based vegetable stir fry .

In my home , pudina thogayal is relished as an accompaniment to Vellarikaai (Cucumber) kootu or Chou Chou Kootu  and some papads.

I personally love to mix pudina Thogayal with hot rice and ghee and enjoy it as is .

Pudina thogayal also goes well with dosas,idlis or even rotis and puris. To serve it alongside dosas or idlis you can Slightly dilute the thogayal by mixing some warm water . Donot add too much water as the flavors will go off balance. 

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 5 mins
Serves : 3-4

Ingredients

1 cup packed Mint leaves
1 tbsp Udad dhall

2 to 3 dry red chillies
2 tsp black pepper corns
pinch of asafoetida
small piece of tamarind
1 tsp jaggery grated (optional)
2 tsp grated coconut
salt as needed

Method

• Wash and dry the pudina/mint leaves nicely.
• In a pan,heat a little oil and fry the udad dhall until golden brown. Fry the red chillies too until crisp .
• Slowly add,the pudina leaves and saute well,until the aroma of pudina fills the room.
• Lastly add the pepper corns ,asafoetida and saute just lightly until it turns a little crisp.
• You can add the tamarind at this stage,so that the tamarind becomes soft and it will b easy to grind.
• Transfer all the contents on a plate and cool for sometime.
• Grind all the roasted ingredients along with coconut,jaggery and salt until smooth. 
• Adjust water.Thogayal has to be slightly thick and not watery like chutney.

Hara (Green) Chutney / Corriander Mint Chutney

Hara Chutney is an extremely handy dip which is a must while preparing any form of Chats,Sandwiches or an accompaniment for any Indian starters,kebabs and tikkis.
Combination of corriander,mint and a few additional spices,it can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : Nil

(Image updated on 30 May 2019)