• Wash the mint leaves and coriander leaves thoroughly. Pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
  1 cup fresh mint, 1 tbsp coriander leaves
• Add the mint leaves, grated coconut, green chillies, ginger, garlic, shallots, lemon juice, and salt to a blender.
  1 cup freshly grated coconut, 1-2 green chillies, 1- inch piece ginger, 1 garlic clove, 2 –3 small shallots, Juice of one lemon or 1 tsp vinegar, Salt to taste
• Pulse the ingredients until they are well combined and form a coarse chammanthi. Do not over-blend, as the traditional texture should remain slightly coarse and not smooth.
• Add ½ teaspoon sugar, if using, to balance the freshness of the mint and the heat from the chillies. This step is optional.
  ½ tsp sugar
• Note: If you are using vinegar instead of lemon juice, add 1 teaspoon first and blend well. Taste and adjust if needed, as too much vinegar can overpower the delicate mint flavour.
• Add 1 tablespoon of chilled water only if required while pulsing. The chammanthi should remain thick and coarse rather than watery.
  1 tbsp chilled water
• Serve the pudina chammanthi fresh with biryani, or refrigerate until serving.

Serving Tip

• Serve the chammanthi chilled or at room temperature alongside Kerala-style prawn dum biryani, Onion raita, Pappadam and Mango or lime pickle.