Menthipindi Gojju/Menthyadahittina Gojju

Menthipindi Gojju is an instant and quick to make recipe. An apt one when you have unexpected guests and need an extra dish to complete the menu. Gojju is sweetened chutney. The sweetest thing about this chutney is that it is nutritious too. Another completely south Indian recipe.

Thank you Vijaya Aunty for the recipe.

Preparation time: 10 – 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Black Gram (Urad dal/minapappu) 1 cup (100 g)
Bengal Gram (Chana dal/Senagabedalu) 1 cup (100 g)
Pigeon peas (Toor dal/Kandipappu) 1 cup (100 g)
Green Gram (Moong Dal/Pesara Pappu) 1 1/4cup (125 g)
Coriander seeds (dhania/dhanialu) 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (Methi/Menthulu) 1 tsp
Red Chillies 5
Curry leaves 10
Tamarind (Imli/Chinthapandu) 1 blob
Jaggery 1 medium sized cube
Refined Oil 2 tsps
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Finely chopped onion 1 (optional)
Pinch of asafetida (hing/inguva)
Salt to taste
Fresh and chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Soak together a medium sized ball of tamarind and equal proportion of jaggery for 10 mins.

Dry roast black gram, Bengal gram, pigeon peas, green gram, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and 2 – 3 red chillies, each separately and set aside.

Grind into a fine powder black gram, Bengal gram, green gram and pigeon peas.

Add the roasted coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, a pinch of asafetida, 4-5 curry leaves and grind again to make a fine powder.

To the soaked tamarind water add the powder till the mixture becomes thick and consistent. Add salt to taste and mix well (salt can either be added at this stage or can also be added while making the powder).

Heat 2 tsps oil in a kadai/pan (bandli/mukudu). Once hot, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, and once they splutter add 2 red chillies, 1 tsp black gram, 5 - 6 curry leaves and little bit of chopped coriander.

Season the thick gojju with the above tempering. Garnish with coriander and finely chopped and roasted onions (optional, generally elderly people dont prefer onions while the young love it).

Menthipindi gojju is ready to serve. The powder can be made and stored in an air tight container in a dry place for 2 months. If the powder is ready it hardly takes 5 – 10 mins to make the gojju.

Menthipindi gojju is traditionally a rice supplement but tastes heavenly with ghee smeared phulkas or rotis.