Wash the mint leaves and let them dry. Ensure there are no insects as mint; grown naturally tend to attract worms.
Add oil to a pan. Toss in urad dal; asafoetida and chillies. Saut on low heat to the urad dal turns golden brown. Then toss in the mint. Make sure that the heat is low as mint cooks real fast. Add in the coconut if including; at this point. Saut for 2 minutes more. Then turn off the stove. Let it cool.
Now in a blender; add the mix from pan, salt, tamarind block and grind well to paste. If it appears to stick; add some water and grind well to paste.
Thogayal ready! Serve with hot rice or dosa or idli. Or use it to add additional flavor in your Biriyani/Pulao.
