Ajwain Patta Thambuli/Thambli

आप इस रेसिपी को नीचे हिंदी में भी पढ़ सकते हैं

Call it what you want–chaach, taak, mor, mattha, buttermilk—it is an integral part of Indian food. While it is consumed as a refreshing drink with a pinch of salt and hing, it is also turned into a tasty digestive and consumed before or during the meals, the masala varying with the region. The Gujarati masala chhas is a tongue-tickling appetiser and the Maharashtrian masala taak is redolent with coriander, ginger, chillies and other spices.

Then we have the various types of raitas and thayir pachadis. Karnataka has a variety of curd-based dish called thambuli/thambli, which is a cross between masala buttermilk and raita. It is slightly thicker than the former and a little thinner than the latter and is usually had with rice, at the beginning of a meal, especially during summers. Some, like me, drink it like an appetiser too.

A variety of greens are used to make thambuli including coriander, curry leaves, dill leaves, palak, ajwain patta etc. Ginger, raw turmeric roots, garlic, tomato and onions are also among other ingredients used to make thambuli. The sky is the limit for using ingredients to make this tasty dish. The ingredients are Sautéed in ghee/oil before being ground along with spices and coconut. The ground paste is mixed with the buttermilk and a simple tempering is made at the end.

I had a jungle of these ajwain pattas (doddapatre in Kannada/Indian Borage) growing in the window garden. The leaves are very good as a digestive and are excellent for coughs and colds too. After making parathas with them one day, I decided to make a thambuli with them.

Come, try this thambuli recipe if you have the ajwain patta, or try it with any of the other ingredients I have listed above.

Ingredients:

• Curd                – ½ cup
• Ajwain patta        – a handful
• Green chillies       – 1
• Coconut (grated)  – 2 tbsp
• Peppercorn          – 7-8
• Jeera                     – ½ tsp
• Mustard               – ½ tsp
• Hing                     – a pinch
• Salt taste
• Ghee/oil              -1 tsp

Method:

• Wash and pat dry the ajwain patta.
• In a kadhai, heat a little ghee or oil (I use oil because when mixed with cold buttermilk, ghee sometimes solidifies). Sauté the pepper, jeera and green chillies.
• Add the ajwain patta and sauté lightly till it begins wilting lightly. Remove from heat. Don’t overcook.
• Once cool, grind it along with coconut and a little water, to a smooth paste.
• Whisk the curd to get a smooth texture. Add half a cup of water or slightly more, if you want the thambuli thinner.
• Mix the ground paste into the buttermilk, add required salt and whisk thoroughly.
• Heat a tadka pan with a little oil. Add the mustard seeds and when it sputters, add the hing and switch off the heat. Pour over the thambuli.
• Serve as a digestive drink or with hot rice. If you make it slightly thicker like raita, you can eat it with dosa and chapati too!

अजवाइन के पत्तों का रायता / छाछ

सामग्री:

• ½ कप दही 
• एक मुट्ठी अजवाइन के पत्ते 
• 1 हरी मिर्च 
• 2 tbsp नारियल (कसा हुआ) 
• 7 – 8 काली मिर्च के दाने
• ½ छोटा चम्मच जीरा 
• ½ छोटा चम्मच राई 
• 1 चुटकी हींग 
• नमक  स्वाद अनुसार
• घी / तेल -1 छोटा चम्मच

बनाने का तरीका:

• अजवाइन के पत्ते धोएं और थपथपाकर सुखाएं।
• कढ़ाही में, थोड़ा घी या तेल गरम करें (मैं तेल का उपयोग करती हूं क्योंकि जब ठंडे छाछ के साथ मिलाया जाता है, तो घी  जम जाता है)। मिर्च, जीरा और हरी मिर्च को भूनें।
• अब अजवाइन के पत्ते डालें और थोड़ा भून ले।आंच बंद करे।
• ठंडा होने पर इसे नारियल और थोड़े से पानी के साथ,पीस लें।
• दही को फेट ले।आधा कप पानी डाले। अगर आप थम्बलि पतला चाहते हैं तो थोडा ओर पानी डाले।
• छाछ में पीसा हुआ पेस्ट मिलाएं, आवश्यक  अनुसार नमक डालेऔर अच्छी तरह से मिलाएं।
• तड़का पैन को थोड़े से तेल के साथ गरम करें।राई डाले और जब यह तडकने लगे, तब हींग डाले और आंच बंद करें।तडके को थम्बलि के ऊपर डाले।
• एक पाचन पेय के रूप में या गर्म चावल के साथ परोसें। अगर आप इसे रायता की तरह थोड़ा गाढ़ा बनाते हैं, तो आप इसे डोसा और चपाती के साथ भी खा सकते हैं!