Curry leaves are good source of calcium and vitamins and minerals. Usually, curry leaves are used in the dishes for the flavor it imparts. And generally, these leaves are picked and kept side when served. When people discard/disown someone/something after using it for their benefit, its compared to leaving out the curry leaves while serving. (Kaaryam kazhinjal kariveppila pole)
I often make curry leaves powder and thogayal. Once I got to taste this thokku at my brother-in-laws place. My co-sister had got from her hometown. It was shop bought, probably packed by home based pickle makers. There was no ingredient list on it. Though, it was tad sweeter to my taste, I liked it. I tried to recreate it at home. It came out well. It goes well with dosa/adai and rice too. It keeps good for 2 weeks under refrigeration. I guess it will have shelf life of at least a week, even if kept outside.
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- Curry leaves - 1 cup packed, separated from the stalk
- Red chillies - 4 nos
- Tamarind - gooseberry size
- White Sesame seeds - 2 tspn
- Hing - a small piece
- Salt
- Oil - 2 tblspn
- Jaggery - a tiny piece
Method
Heat a teaspoon of oil. Drop the hing piece and when its fried, remove it. Then roast red chillies.
Powder curry leaves, sesame seeds, hing and salt. When it is coarsely powdered, add the soaked tamarind and jaggery. Grind till smooth.
Use the tamarind soaked water to grind. You need to have a runny paste.
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Add the ground paste. Simmer till it thickens
Adjust the quantity of red chilly and jaggery to suit your taste palette.
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