Puthina (Mint leaf) rasam

Puthina / Mint leaf is my favorite herb. I love to add mint in my tea. Mint leaf is believed to do a lot of good to our intestine, memory power , skin, breathing system etc etc. Moreover the plants add a touch of greenery to our house. So I proudly display some plants always in my window garden. Mostly the price of a bunch will be expensive in USA. But surprisingly last week I bought some mint leaf bunches for very less price in the Indian stores.
 I am posting two vegetarian recipes with mint leaf today.




Mint leaf Rasam / Pudina Rasam:
Ingredients:
Cooked Toor dal (Red gram) - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 100 gm
garlic - 3 pearls
Tamarind - a gooseberry size
Black pepper - 1/2 tbsp
coriander seed - 2 tsp
Dry red chilly - 3
cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
garlic - 3 pearls.
Mint leaf - a small bunch (1 1/2 cup chopped leaves)
oil - 1 tbsp
mustard - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
salt - to taste

Method:
Cook the Toor dhal and mash it .
(I take out the necessary dhal after pressure cooking for sambar).
Extract juice from tamarind.
Dry roast pepper, coriander, cumin, red chili and powder them together with fresh garlic.
Wash and clean the mint leaves. Chop the mint leaves finely.
Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard, cumin , asafoetida. After the mustard crackles , add the chopped tomato and fry till oil oozes out.
Pour the mashed dal, powdered masala, tamarind extract, chopped mint leaf and let it come to a boil.
As soon as the rasam starts to boil, immediately switch off and add salt.
Mint leaf rasam is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve over hot plain rice.
Goes well with a simple thovaiyal (thick chutney) and appalam.

Events:
Mint leaf rasam goes to JFI : Mint event hosted by Ashwini of Spicy cuisine. originally created by Indira of Mahanadi.

Also sending this mint leaf Rasam to the SWC - cooking with greens event hosted by Sowmya of creative saga.

Award:
I am very much excited when two of my friends Ann of Happy and healthy cooking and Ammu of Nature kitchen passed me this beautiful award.

Thank you friends. I feel honored.
I think it is appropriate to pass on this award to all who visit me. Feel free to pick it up buddies.
Enjoy!

Puthina thuvaiyal (Mint leaf chutney)

Here comes a very refreshing chutney made with the aromatic fresh mint leaves.
My mom used to say , " A few mint leaves in our daily cooking will drive away the body odor and bad breathe ".
There are so many versions in this thuvaiyal. But I am narrating a very basic method.



Mint leaf chutney / Pudina chutney:

Ingredients:
Mint leaf - a small bunch
urid dhal (black gram) - 1 tbsp
tamarind - a gooseberry size
Dry red chili - 4
salt - 1/4 tsp (check taste)
shredded coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:
Soak the tamarind in little water.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok.
Fry the red chili to get nice flavor. Take it out and keep aside.
Fry the urid dhal to red.
Then add the mint leaf and sautee till the mint leaf becomes little tender.
Do not fry it more than that. Let it cool completely.
Grind it along with fried chili, tamarind, salt and shredded coconut to a fine paste with almost very very little water in a mixer / blender.
Garnish with fried mustard seeds.

Mint leaf chutney is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Goes well with chapathi, Idly , dosa, any rice.
I love it with curd rice.

Events:
Mint leaf chutney goes to JFI : Mint event hosted by Ashwini of Spicy cuisine. originally created by Indira of Mahanadi.

It took just 15 minutes to get the entire dish done. So I am eager to end this chutney to the 15 minutes cooking event hosted by Mahima of Mahimaa's kitchen's.

Also the mint leaf chutney goes to the SWC - cooking with greens event hosted by Sowmya of creative saga.