An early use of mustard as a condiment in England was in the form of mustardballs which were easilystored and combined with vinegarorwineto makemustardpaste as needed.
Whether it is avarai uttakka - local beans cooked with potato, tomato, onions, garlic and tempered with mustard seeds, or sandagai - roasted tomato sauteed with small onion, garlic and coconut ground to a fine paste - the "masala made carefully after dry-roasting 17 spices and not bought off the shops" is the key, Indira says.
