"Teeku Pudina Saaru (Spicy Mint Leaves Saar".. Saaru/ Rasam is a famous thin textured tangy flavoured dish often served in southern parts of India with rice along with other dishes … it’s a great dish to tickle taste buds and bring back lost taste- appetite … pudina is also great for treating indigestion, sore throat and cold … while each home has its own method of preparing it, here is my simple method of preparing Pudina saaru that tastes best served with plain rice … you can sip it of hot or relish it with rice, either way it tastes great … Yummilicious ….
** Almost all foodies are aware of the difference in food consumption in different parts of the country. While it comes to south Indians rice is the staple food served with dal/ saar/ sambar or any other coconut based curry. Garam masala is not commonly used in regular cooking of food items except for a few ingredients. Dal and Saar are both prominent in meals with either of them being served with rice along with bhaji and curries. I have shared plenty of thali posts here in the Blog and if you browse through them you will get a picture of GSB Konkani Saraswat Community meals.
** In this “Pudina Saar”, pudina/ mint leaves rule in taste and flavour, I would say a little bit strong, so if desired you may cut down on the quantity of the leaves included. However, once you develop the taste for mint leaves you will love it for sure. I suggest you prepare this saaru both spicy and tangy for best of flavour and taste. Pudina is an excellent home remedy for stomach indigestion and also helps ease sore throat and cold. If recovering from bout of fever, cold, then do try sipping this pudina saar, steaming hot sip by sip and trust me the relief you feel is simple heartwarming.
** Here is my recipe for "Teeku Pudina Saaru (Spicy Mint Leaves Saar"… my style … do try it, its healthy and tasty ....
** Ingredients :
Tomato : 1 medium sized finely chopped.
Jaggery/ Goda/ Gud/ Bella : the size fo large lemon.
Coriander Leaves/ Dhania/ Kottambari Pallo : ¼ cup finely chopped
Ghee/ Toop : 1 tblsp
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** To Ground into a fine paste :
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 1 tblsp
Fresh Mint Leaves/ Pudina : 1 cup leaves only.
Tomato : 1 medium sized roughly chopped
Tamarind/ Chinchama/ Imly : one small lemon sized ball
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : ½ cup freshly grated
Green Chilly/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 2-3
Coriander Seeds/ Dhania/ Kothambari : 1 tblsp
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Ajwain/ Vonvo/ carom seeds : ½ tsp
Turmeric/ Haldi Powder : ½ tsp
Whole Black Pepper Corns/ Kali Miri/ Mire : 1 tsp
Rasam or Sambar Powder : 1 tblsp
Kashmiri Red Chilly/ Kumte Mirsanga/ Byadgi Mirchi : 3-4
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh leaves
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka :
Ghee/ Toop : 1 tblsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh leaves
Hing/ Asafoetida Powder : ½ - 1 tsp
Whole small ball red chillies : 2-3
** Pick, clean, drain well pudina/ mint leaves and keep it aside ready. Chop tomatoes roughly and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in water water for about 20 minutes. Wash, wipe dry and roughly cut green chillies and keep it ready aside.
** Heat oil in a small kadai, when hot add jeera, pepper corns, ajwain, coriander and fry for a minute or two. Lower the heat and add red chillies, curry leaves, cut green chillies and fry all together for another 2-3 minutes. Lastly add turmeric powder, rasam or sambar powder, coconut and fry all together for another 2-3 minutes. Do not roast the coconut, we just need to fry it for few minutes to warm it up.
** Add the above ingredients into a mixer grinder along with the pudina leaves, chopped tomato and the soaked and kept tamarind along with the water in which it is soaked. Grind all to a very fine paste adding water as is required only. Do take care to see that the masala is ground fine. Remove and keep this aside ready.
** Note : In case you want pudina saaru to be less/ more spicier then add green chilly, red chilly, sambar powder according to individual taste.
** To prepare Pudina Saaru/ Mint Leaves Saar : In a thick bottomed vessel add finely chopped tomato along with half a cup of water and cook until it turns mushy. Gently crush it with the back of spatula to release the tomato juices. Now add the ground masala, half of the finely chopped coriander leaves, required amount of water to bring to desired consistency and mix well. Bring all the ingredients to a rolling boil on medium heat stirring often in between until you see bubbles appearing on the surface.
** Add jaggery, salt to taste, mix well, once again check and add more water if required and then continue to boil the saar until jaggery has melted. Now lower the heat and simmer the saar for a good 15-20 minutes. This helps release all the flavour of the ingredients into the saar making it much more flavourful and tastier.
** For Tempering/ Pannaka/ Tadka : Heat ghee in a small pan, when hot add mustard seeds when they begin to splutter, lower the heat and then add jeera, curry leaves, hing powder, followed by whole small ball red chillies and continue frying for a few more seconds (Do not let it burn). Pour this over the simmering pudina saaru, mix well and continue simmering for another 5-7 minutes. Once the saar has been thoroughly cooked and done remove from heat and garnish with remaining finely chopped coriander leaves. Add ghee, cover and let rest for 30 minutes for flavours to be absorbed.
** "Teeku Pudina Saaru (Spicy Mint Leaves Saar" is done and ready to be served. Always serve Pudina Saaru steaming hot, be it as an appetizer or for meals with rice, as it taste best when relished hot. If you have not yet tried pudina saaru/ mint leaves saar then do give it a try, pudina is extremely beneficial having plenty of healthy nutrients making this saaru our own way of consuming it while keeping to traditions. I prepared this to be served with my festive meal Thai on occasion of Samsar Padvo/ Ugadi/ Gudi Padwa along with other dishes and it was loved by all those who relished it.
** For more “Saar” recipes, browse through the common link shared below …
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