Green Tamarind Thokku – MIL’s Recipe

Hi Friends.

It’s my privilege that I am posting my MIL’s preparation today. When I told her I will post the recipe in your name, she asked me why I would want to do that? My answer was as simple, who ever makes it should get the recognition.

I have mentioned several times earlier that my MIL is an excellent cook. I am extremely fortunate to have learnt many recipes from her and I still keep bugging her for more… When ever I ask her she says very sweetly..TUMKO KO TO SAB AATA HAI, to which I tell her..NO, NO I STILL HAVE TO LEARN A LOT FROM YOU. Then she will say I MAKE EVERYTHING BY APPROX MEASUREMENTS..to which I would reply TELL ME THOSE, THEY ARE PERFECT. Believe me friends this is no exaggeration but our conversation is exactly like this whenever I ask her a recipe. She is a very affectionate lady (though she will always portray her stern side) and am glad to have her as my MIL.

The thokku is extremely simple to make (I realised that when she explained me the procedure) but it’s very very tasty. I have not been able to stop eating this ever since I have received it. Yes, do not turn green, I got a pack full of this amazing stuff!!! It’s spicy, tangy and absolutely yummmm. Do I really need to ask for anything else to pamper my taste buds….. another packet of this is perfectly okay with me, MIL. 

Ingredients

1/2 kg raw green tamarind/ kacchi imli

salt

400 gm green chilies

1-1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

3-4 whole turmeric/ 4 tsp turmeric pwd (halkunda)

filtered groundnut oil

mustard seeds

Method

• Cut  tamarind into 1” pieces and remove the threads / de-string them.
• Mash the tamarind with a stone, rub some salt and keep aside (this helps tamarind release it’s own water).
• Leave it overnight like this. Next day with the help of hands remove the seeds.
• Roast the fenugreek seeds in a pan without oil.
• In a grinder take the deseeded and mashed tamarind, green chilies, turmeric, fenugreek seed and salt to taste. Grind the mix.
• Store this in an airtight container in a refrigerator. This can stay for an year if it’s untouched by water.
• Whenever the thokku is to be used, remove a portion into a bowl, heat some groundnut oil (use the filtered and not the refined oil, this adds to the flavor) and splutter some mustard seeds in it, put this baghar on the thokku and it’s ready to serve. It can also be eaten without the baghar also.
• Serve it as a chutney or mix it with hot steamed rice and eat.

Did I forgot to mention that S had asked that filtered oil to be parcelled here from BLR…. One can surely understand that we are all gluttons in the family.