Mint Thokku (Pudina) – 100g

The most approachable thokku in the range, and the one children take to first. Fresh mint is ground and cooked down in wood-pressed groundnut oil with tamarind, mustard, fenugreek, chilli and asafoetida — the tamarind and mint together give it a bright, tangy lift that the herb thokkus don't have.

Excellent with curd rice, in a lunchbox with hot rice and ghee, spread inside a chapati roll, or as a side for idli and dosa. Also works as a quick base for mint rice — a spoonful stirred into plain rice.

Mint is valued in Tamil cooking for digestion and for its cooling quality. Keep the oil layer on top rather than stirring it in.