Flax seed-Mint-Garlic Chutney podi

A cholesterol-free, healthy chutney podi version from Daddy dearest. Yet another successful experiment of his which I’m proud to share with you all. After chocolate, my next favourite flavour is garlic so no doubt this podi had me sold all the way. What I particularly loved about this chutney podi is what the mint and garlic do to your taste-buds…they tease and they taunt, and before you know it you’ll be reaching out to the jar to get some more onto your plate. The nutty flavour from the flax seeds works wonders too. Those of you following this blog should know by now about how I obsess with flax-seed. So does Daddy. Like father, like daughter. This traditional spice powder with the coeval healthy twist is a must-try. Traditional chutney podi uses dry copra and I don’t deny that it lends a beautiful distinct flavour. However, this healthy version does not make you miss the copra one bit. I urge you to give it a shot. It’s totally worth it.

Flax seed-Mint-Garlic Chutney podi

Ingredients:

• Channa dal – 1 cup
• Urad Dal – 1/2 cup
• Methi/Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Salem Chillies (the hot variety) – 8-10 nos
• Byadgi Chillies (the colouring variety) – 8-10 nos
• Tamarind – a lemon-sized ball
• Jaggery – 1 1/2 tbsps
• Curry leaves – 4-5 sprigs, sorted and cleaned
• White sesame seeds (optional) – 2 tbsps
• Hing/Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
• Flax seeds – 1 cup
• Mint leaves – one big bunch, sorted and cleaned
• Garlic – 5-6 pods
• Salt – to taste

Procedure:

• Lay a cotton cloth in 2-3 layers on a flat surface. Spread the sorted and cleaned mint leaves on it and allow it to dry in the shade for 4-5 hours. You could do this in the morning, so then it will be ready to go into the chutney podi in the evening.
• Once you’re all set to make the podi, do a mise en place…it does help you get organised, and all the ingredients look so vibrant and colourful. You should also stop to take a picture of your mise en place. It’d make a very pretty picture.
• Dry roast the flax seeds, allow to cool and powder in the mixer. Set aside.
• Dry roast the channa dal, urad dal, and methi seeds together with the hing, till the dals turn golden brown and fragrant. As the dals start to turn golden brown, tip in the garlic, sesame seeds, and lastly the dried mint leaves as well. Transfer roasted mixture to a wide plate and set aside to cool.
• Dry roast the red chillies till they turn fragrant. Tip them into the wide plate along with the dals.
• Next, dry roast the tamarind, and lastly the curry leaves. Tip these into the wide plate as well.
• Allow the entire mixture to cool.
• Grind this mixture in batches, along with jaggery and salt to taste, in the mixer. The dals should still be a little coarse after you’re done.
• Once done, mix in the ground flax seeds. Allow the mixture to cool, and store in an air-tight jar.

By the time our chutney podi made it to the air-tight jar, it had reduced to half its original volume! I loved having this chutney podi with dosa, idli, akki rotti and most of all, with curd rice. Yummmmmax! And what’s more, there’s no guilt feeling associated with this one. In fact, with the flax seed, mint and garlic, you’re only doing your body good by including this chutney podi with your meals. Now that I’ve told you all of this, there really is no stopping you from trying this one is there? 😉