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Agathipoo Thambuli or Agase Hoovu Thambuli

A light, cooling curd-coconut-agathi blossom preparation, best had with mouthfuls of hot rice, the thambuli is an Udipi and South Karnataka speciality—and the easiest way to consume unusual and medicinal ingredients in small, dosed portions!
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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • ½ teaspoon ghee
  • 6 large agathi flowers
  • 1 small green chilli
  • ½ cup freshly grated coconut
  • 1-1 ½ cups thick fresh yogurt
  • Salt to taste
  • a pinch or two of jaggery, if the curd is very sour
Tempering
  • ¼ tablespoon ghee
  • ½ teaspoon urad dal/black gram dal
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 dry red chilli, broken
  • Generous pinch of hing/asafoetida
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Method
 

  1. Prepare the agathi flowers by pinching off the calyces and pulling out the stamens. This is a good recipe to make use of any loose petals, so it's no worry if the blossoms don't hold together while cleaning. Rinse the petals, pat dry with a clean tea towel and chop roughly.
  2. Heat the ghee in a small frying pan or even a tempering pan.
  3. When the ghee is very hot, add the green chilli (broken into pieces) and fry for barely a minute.
  4. Then follow with the cleaned and chopped agathi flowers and sauté until they’re wilted and releasing their juices.
  5. Transfer the flowers and green chilli to the jar of a blender, along with the fresh grated coconut, a spoon or two of the curd, and a tiny bit of jaggery (if using). Blend to a not-too-fine paste.
  6. Transfer this mixture to a serving bowl, combine with the rest of the yogurt and add salt, to taste.
To temper and serve
  1. Heat the ghee in the same small frying or tempering pan.
  2. When it is hot, drop in all the dry spices. They will crackle and sputter; follow with the curry leaves. Once those are crisp, pour the tempering over the waiting tambuli and mix well to infuse flavors.
  3. The traditional method is to serve this at room temperature with hot rice, but if you want to chill it and use it as a side salad with hot parathas or other breads, that’s your call!