VEPPILAIKATTI

INGREDIENTS:

Citron leaves	40-50 leaves
Dry red chili	10-15
Salt	As per taste
Asafetida	1 tsp

METHOD:

• Wipe the citron leaves clean with a wet cloth or tissue. Then wipe it dry using another clean cloth or tissue so that there is no moisture in the leaves.

• Remove the veins (thick stem in middle of leaf) of all the citron leaves by tearing each leaf.

• In a kadai, dry roast 10-15 dry red chili until the chilies are roasted. Please adjust the quantity of chilies as per your spice level. Transfer the roasted chilies to a plate and let it cool down.

• Once chilies are cooled, add them to a mixer- grinder jar along with salt and asafetida. Grind it to a fine powder and keep the spice powder aside in a plate.
• Now in the same jar, add the torn leaves and grind it into fine powder. The leaves have lot of fiber, so you may notice lot of thin fiber strands when the leaves are powdered which is totally fine.

• Now mix well the powdered leaves with the spice powder either using spoon or mix it in the grinder jar by pulsing it once or twice.
• Once everything is mixed well, transfer it in an air tight container in the powdered form or make small roundels of the veppila katti and then store.  Refrigerate the veppila katti and always use a dry spoon.
• Enjoy the veppila katti with curd rice!