Lemon or Lime Peel Thokku / Spicy Paste

 Hi everybody,  this is particularly my favourite recipe, this recipe brings me my childhood days, my school mate /dosth, my school days, etc.., This recipe is by my friend's mom, hope she sees this recipe and recalls the days we used to spend together.

As I told she was my classmate and our friendship goes so long back, say from nursery!, after marriage, we had lost connection with each other, the only thing I knew was I had been to her new house, when we left college, and never went to see her at all after that, That area where her new house was not very well developed and I had a very vague memory of her house, funnily when my marriage got fixed I wanted to invite her to my wedding, but when I went so confidently that I would track her house down, I was amazed how the area had developed, well people living in Bangalore know about this I don't have to say much right ?, Now after coming her I get scared that I might not recognize lot of places when I go back, so coming back to my story, I walked up and down 2 to 3 roads, and finally zeroed it to one road, now I had to find the house, I kind of had a very vague memory, even though it was changed a bit I just went knocked on the door keeping my fingers crossed, that hopefully I will see a familiar face. To my surprise, her mom opened the door, O' my goodness, I was so delighted, chattered away so much right on the door step, even she was so excited, I would like to remember that during my 10th standard exams, my parents moved to a different area, so they left in my aunt's house, as both of lived as neighbours and B's house was down the road, so nearing exam time, three of us used to do combined studies and I used to sleep in her place most of the time, bless her and her mom they were so sweet, I can never forget those days, so we got back together again, but circumstances changed and again I lost track of her, again after 5 to 6 years I met her again, she used to come in my dreams and I thought I had to see her, we met again and now we are in touch with each other, as we now know our permanent bases :).., Remember B this is for you and your mom..,
Coming to the recipe, she served me this once, and I just got hooked to it.., love it and would love to share it...
This is a very easy peasy recipe, Here I get two kind of citrus fruit - Lemon and Lime, In India we use Limes to make our pickles, Here I have used Lime as you guessed that I made pickle recently and I was left with 6 Lime peels, don't wonder why would I be left with 6 Lime peels, If you check this recipe of mine on how I make pickles you would know why ?.
Anyways I will tell you why ?, just to get more juice in my pickles I squeeze an extra of 6 to 7 Lime Juices into my marinating Pickling Jar, this way, pickle get more juice and not water which has longer shelf life and I don't have to use too much oil :).
So, everytime I make pickle and left over with the peels, this is what I turn it into.., why waste the peel right ?.., Let's see how I make it into a lovely Thokku or spicy paste.., which goes well with rice and tsp of oil - Lemon chadam (rice), nice with chapatis, Dosas etc.., well you can use it however you want..., Here is how I make it.., Hope fully this is how she makes it, I hope B will come back to me.., if for any corrections..

LEMON / LIME PEEL THOKKU OR SPICY PASTE

INGREDIENTS:
Recipe source: sudha aunty
6 Lemon Peel (see notes)*
3 tbsp of oil
1 to 2 tbsp Chilli Powder*
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida/Hing
1 Cup water
2 tsp Salt

SEASONING:
1tbsp of oil
1 tsp mustard seeds

METHOD:
*Squeeze the juice out of the Limes as shown in my click (not a good one), hope fully you can understand, if you want you can keep the pith with it, I use every thing once I squeeze the juice out of it, then cut them into bits and added the amount of water I have used here, use water accordingly as how much peel you use an one inch extra level of water of from the peel would be sufficient I suppose.

Take the chopped peel and water in a bowl and cook it in a low flame, until they well cooked
Once the Lime is cooled grind it in a mixie ( I use Indian mixie / Processor) to a smooth paste
well, not all of them will be become smooth paste you might find little chunks so that's alright not to worry.
In a Kadai or deep wok fry in a low flame,  mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds separately without oil.
Mustard seeds change colour a bit of whitish you would know as its starts spluttering making noises, frying them in low flame ensures perfect roasting and smells wonderfully.
Next fry fenugreek seeds again in low flame, be extra sure not to fry it into dark brown colour as it will spoil the taste of the end product and gives a tart taste, fry these fenugreek seeds to golden yellow/brown in colour.
You need a small jared mixie to blend these spices, blend these spices together with Asafoetida/Hing, when cool,  into a fine powder.
I have mentioned using Chilli powder*, you can use dried chillies if you want, then you must fry this in a wok, using a one or two drops of oil other wise you might feel irritation in your throat as it gives a strong smell.

I have used Chilli powder, use chilli powder according to your taste and the kind of chilli powder you are using and how spicy you like it, do not use it directly you need to fry this in the wok, Once you roasted the seeds, switch of the flame and fry chilli powder for 2 to three minutes, that's it done.
In the same wok heat 1 tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds, they start spluttering, add curry leaves sought for a minutes, Keep the flame low, add the ground Lime paste into it mix well and allow it cook for 2 to 3 minutes, any moisture content should just evaporate during this process.
Keep stirring now and then, careful that it doesn't stick then add the powders and salt as required mix well and add the rest of the oil, combine them well together and allow it to cook for further 10 to 12 minutes, you can see that the oil starts floating soon enough.
Now your Thokku is ready to enjoy....

I am sending this to Gayatri's walk through memory lane event....