Inji Thokku

               While blog surfing I chanced upon Cooking with Seeds -Fenugreek Seeds by SE, brainchild of Priya's easy n tasty recipes. South Indians depend on Vendhayam / fenugreek seeds in their meals to cool down in a tropical climate. It is so hot in the southern states throughout the year, that vendhayam is an essential part of the cooking. Vendhayam is not to be taken lightly, it is a potent seed, a little goes a long way. It has many uses like cooling the body internally, helps in digestion, reducing blood sugar, used to increase lactation in new moms and many more. Using it without proper guidance is not advisable due to its potency. Indians have been using fenugreek in their cooking for hundreds of years.So, it is safe to follow Indian cooking guidelines and usage in small quantities in daily cooking.

        I chose to make Inji thokku or Ginger chutney using fenugreek seeds. It is simple to prepare and spicy. It is usually used as a pickle, accompaniment to curd rice, in summer times.

Inji thokku 


Ingredients:
Fresh ginger finely chopped   2 cups
fenugreek seeds   1 1/2 tsps (exact)
green chilli   6
tamarind lemon size
or tamarind paste 1 tsp
red chilli   2
salt to taste
Gingelly oil (preferrably)      3 tbsps


Method:
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and red chillies in a saute pan for 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the seeds.Let cool for a while, then make a fine powder using a spice grinder. Set aside.
2. Grind the ginger, green chillies and tamarind with salt(around 2 tsps or more)  in a mixer-grinder to a fine paste. Add as little water as possible. Adding it in small increments and pulsing the mixer will get the mixture into a smooth paste.
3. Heat the oil in a saute pan, add the ground paste and keep stirring.Let most of the water evaporate and the mixture leave the side of the pan.Keep stirring continuously (about 5 mins).Add the powder at this stage and mix thoroughly.Take off heat in 2 minutes.

 This thokku must cool completely before you store it in air-tight container.It will store nicely in the fridge for weeks.But, who is going to leave it there for so long. In our household, this thokku is eaten in a few days.
Caution: Spicy -a little thokku goes a long way. Susvaad.