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South Indian · Indian

Pudina thogayal (Tamil mint chutney)

Vegetarian

புதினாத் துவையல் · putiṉāt tuvaiyal

Mint leaves sautéed with fried urad dal, dried chillies, garlic and tamarind and ground to a thick, tangy relish. Unlike the North Indian green chutney, it is cooked, contains no yoghurt or lemon, and is made for mixing into rice.

Pudina thogayal (Tamil mint chutney) is a South Indian condiment, ready in about 28 minutes and made with mint and black gram (urad dal). It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
12 min
Cook
6 min
Rest
10 min
Total
28 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
33

Ingredients

6 servings (about 20 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Pick the mint (opens in a new tab) leaves off the stems (the stems are bitter), wash them in several changes of water and drain thoroughly.

    • 8 min

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil over medium-low heat and fry the urad (opens in a new tab) dal for 2–3 minutes until golden. Add the dried chillies and garlic (opens in a new tab) and fry until the chillies darken a shade and the garlic is lightly coloured, about 1 minute. Add the asafoetida (opens in a new tab) and tamarind (opens in a new tab).

  3. Step 3

    Add the mint (opens in a new tab) and sauté for 1–2 minutes until just wilted. Turn off the heat, stir in the coconut (opens in a new tab), if using, and cool for 10 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Grind with the salt, first without water, then with water a spoonful at a time, to a thick, coarse paste.

  5. Step 5

    Taste and adjust. Mix into hot rice with ghee, or serve as a side.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Tamil Nadu, India · Commonly attributedA common Tamil home thogayal; garlic and coconut are optional and vary by family.More food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Breakfast · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Sautéed, Blended
Taste
herby, refreshing, spicy (chilli heat), tangy
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Mint · Black gram (urad dal) · Gingelly oil (untoasted sesame oil) · Dried whole chillies · Asafoetida · Tamarind
Techniques
Sautéing · Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • May contain: Wheatfrom asafoetida
  • May contain: Glutenfrom asafoetida
  • Contains, can be adapted: Sesamefrom gingelly oil (untoasted sesame oil)

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

33 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 22 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 14%
  • Carbohydrate 42%
  • Fat 44%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy33 kcal152 kcal
Protein1.2 g5.6 g
Carbohydrate3.6 g16.8 g
Net carbohydrate2.3 g10.4 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.4 g6.3 g
Fat1.7 g7.9 g
Saturated fat0.2 g1.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium198 mg915 mg
Salt equivalent0.5 g2.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
93 mg
Calcium
23 mg
Iron
1.3 mg
Magnesium
16 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
24 µg
Vitamin C
1 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
17 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: garlic, coconut.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): asafoetida.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Add a small handful of coriander if the mint is very strong.
  • For a lunchbox, mix with rice and a spoon of gingelly oil and top with roasted peanuts.

Common mistakes

  • Including the mint stalks, which make it bitter and fibrous.
  • Over-frying the mint until it turns black.

Serve with

  • Pudina sadam: mix with hot rice and a little ghee, serve with papad or potato fry.
  • Serve with idli, dosa, chapati or curd rice.

Food safety

  • Herbs carry soil; wash them in several changes of water, especially for chutneys that are not cooked.
  • Store in a scrupulously clean, completely dry jar (sterilise it in boiling water or a low oven and let it dry fully) and always use a dry spoon; moisture is what spoils chutneys, podis and pickles.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge (2 days with coconut) in a clean jar.

Variations

  • Pudina chutney for idli: Add 30 g coconut and 80 ml water for a looser chutney, finished with a mustard-seed tempering.
  • With onion: Sauté 1 small sliced onion before the mint for a sweeter thogayal.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

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Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 3

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