Onion Thokku used to be my favorite side for chapattis as a student. Amma would always make Onion Thokku and she would pack delicious soft rotis for lunch, along with a side of this delectable thokku. On some days, it would be smeared on the rotis and made in to a roll. It has the most amazing flavor and aroma and is a favorite among my cousins during travel. I remember, when I was about twelve, we had gone to this trip to my cousin`s place in Delhi. The Grand Trunk Express would take it`s own sweet time to cover the 2000 odd kilometres. A standard breakfast that amma would pack would be idlis neatly parceled in green banana leaves smothered in gun powder and gingely oil. Lunch would always mostly be soft puris and this yummy Onion Thokku.

INGREDIENTS:

2  big Onion cut in to big pieces.

1/2 cup of Broken Urad Dhal.

6-7  Red Chillies.

2 Inch  Tamarind soaked in 2 tbsp water.

Salt to taste.

Oil.

Curry Leaves.

Turmeric.

PREPARATION:

• In a kadai, add 2 spoons of oil, and when ready, add mustard and curry leaves and then the chopped onions. Add a little turmeric, saute well and set aside to cool.
• In the same kadai, add a spoon of oil and fry the Urad dhal, red chillies and curry leaves. Set aside to cool a little.
• Add the roasted spices to a mixer, add salt, tamarind and give it a pulse to allow the spices to powder coarsely.
• Now add the sauteed onions also to the ground powder and pulse well to get a near smooth paste.
• Use the kadai and a couple spoons of oil and add the ground onion paste and saute it well. The more this thokku is sauteed in oil, it stays and does not spoil. Allow for oil to leave the sides – This should take about 7-8 mins of stirring.
• This not only compounds the flavor but also helps in preserving the thokku for a long time.
• Serve with Chappathis, Puris, Curd Rice , Idlis or Dosa.