Serves: 2
Total Calories: 23

2 ounces seedless tamarind pulp
2 to 3 cups water
4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons whole fresh mint leaves, + 1 tablespoon minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1 teaspoon ground black salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 to 2 tablespoon sugar

1. Soak the tamarind pulp in 1 cup water until softened, about 2 hours. Rub with clean fingers to release the pulp from the fibers and pass through a fine-mesh strainer or a food mill. Mix another cup water with the pulp in the strainer and extract some more pulp. Discard the fiber. Transfer the pulp to a jar.

2. In a small spice grinder or processor, grind together the ginger, green chili peppers, and whole mint leaves. Transfer to a small bowl and mix well with lime (or lemon) juice to make a paste. Mix into the tamarind pulp.

3. Place the cumin, cayenne pepper, and asafoetida in a small cast-iron skillet, and roast the spices over medium heat, stirring and shaking the skillet, until the spices are highly fragrant are a few shades darker, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately mix into the tamarind pulp.

4. Add the remaining water, black salt, salt, and sugar, and mix well. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and chill at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. When ready, mix in the minced mint leaves and serve.

VARIATION: A quick version can be made by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons Minty Cumin-Water Masala (see Spices and Other Seasonings) into a glass of chilled water.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 2
Total Calories: 23
Calories from Fat: 0

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