The Tam-Bram ubiquitous Thogayal

No meal in a Tam-Bram house is complete without a Thogayal atleast once a week. It is either consumed as part of the main course by mixing with rice and eating with a Kootu for an accompaniment or like a pickle with the main course. No amount of praise can do justice to the Thogayal. It stays for longer than Sambhar/Rasam/Kootu and it tastes just as yummy. When you have unannounced visitors dropping in for a meal, the Thogayal acts like a ready-mix that you can just mix with rice and serve as a 'Variety Rice" with a raita or papad or both. So here's my tribute recipe blog to this lovely find by our ancestors.

Most Thogayal is prepared in a similar manner, except for a variation in the main ingredient of a Thogayal. Hence for ease of understanding, I am mentioning the list of ingredients that are used for all the Thogayal's[pardon my apparent murder of the English language using the plural form for Thogayal...but in the matters of the tummy, such minor faux-pas must be ignored]

Ingredients
Oil-preferably Gingelly Oil or Nalla Ennai[else Sunflower oil is fine too]
Kadugu or Mustard Seeds
Ulutham Paruppu or Urad Dal
Kadla Paruppu or Channa Dal
Red Chillies
Tamarind paste or tamarind soaked in water
Salt
Asafoetida
Jaggery/Sugar[Optional]

Method
Roast all the above ingredients in oil until crisp and allow to cool.

1)Coriander or Kothamalli Thogayal

Blend all the roasted ingredients alongwith washed and cleaned coriander leaves to a fine paste.

2)Mint or Pudina Thogayal
Blend all the roasted ingredients alongwith washed and cleaned Mint leaves to a fine paste.

3)Onion or Vengaya Thogayal
Add sliced onions to the Thogayal ingredients and roast alongwith the other ingredients until the onion is transparent. Allow to cool.
Blend all the roasted ingredients in the blender to a fine paste

4)Curry Leaves or Karuvepillai Thogayal
Add washed curry leaves to the Thogayal ingredients and roast alongwith the other ingredients until the curry leaves are crisp. Allow to cool.
Blend all the roasted ingredients in the blender to a fine paste. Add water if necessary.

5)Coconut or Thengai Thogayal
Blend all the roasted ingredients alongwith grated coconut to a fine paste, adding water, as required.

6)Ridge gourd or Peerkangai Thogayal
Add skinned and chopped peerkangai the Thogayal ingredients at the end and roast alongwith the other ingredients . Allow to cool.
Blend all the roasted ingredients with a bit of grated coconut in the blender to a fine paste. Add water if necessary. The coconut gives a nice consistency to the Thogayal.

7)Brinjal or Kathrikkai Thogayal
If roasting Brinjal over gas, wash and coat the Brinjal with oil and roast directly on flame until the skin of the Brinjal is charred. Then drop the brinjal in water to be rid of its skin.
Blend all the roasted ingredients with roasted brinjal and some grated coconut to a fine paste. Add water if necessary. The coconut gives a nice consistency to the Thogayal.

8) Coriander and Mint Thogayal
Blend the roasted ingredients with a bunch of washed and cleaned Coriander and Mint leaves to a fine paste.