1. Fry the ingredients (urad dal, Bengal gram dal, fenugreek seeds, pepper and red chillies) till golden brown and powder.
2. Soak tamarind in a little water and extract the juice.
3. Temper mustard in oil. Add tamarind juice and boil well.
4. Once tamarind juice starts to thicken, add the ground ingredients, jaggery, safoetida and salt to taste.
5. In case you would like to store the `thokku` for later use, add more oil while cooking.

Dishes you can prepare:
Vathakuzhambu: Add one spoon of `thokku` in 250ml of boiling water and stir it for about a minute and vathakuzhambu is ready.
Vathakuzhambu Rice: Mix the `thokku` with cooked rice and you have vathakuzhambu rice.
Vathakuzhambu Vegetable Rice: Fry vegetables, add `thokku`. Add cooked rice to this masala and it is vathakozhambu vegetable rice.

Image: Flickr/creativecommons/Allerina & Glen MacLarty's