Idli Podi – Milagai Podi (Gun powder for Idli and dosa)

Idli milagai podi means comfort food in TamilNadu/kerala. It is the best lunch box friendly food our moms knew those days. Slightly crunchy and spicy, idli is the perfect vehicle for podi. So our house had gallons of idli podi at all times of the year. This is a very easy recipe to do. Hope you like it. There are countless types of idli milagai podi one can make and this is the most popular one that’s made with roasted lentils.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup split chana dal
• 1/2 cup whole white urad dal
• 1/2 cup white sesame seeds
• 10 dried red chillies
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon jaggery
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a pan and add in a teaspoon of vegetable oil and add quarter cup of chana dal (kadalai paruppu). Roast the chana dal in low flame until golden brown. Set aside on a plate to cool.
2. In the same pan add in a teaspoon of vegetable oil and add half cup of whole white urad dal. Roast the lentil until it smells nutty and the dal turns color. Remove from the pan once the dal is golden. Set aside on a plate to cool.
3. Add in a teaspoon of vegetable oil and half cup of white sesame seeds. Fry on low flame till golden. Set aside on a plate to cool.
4. Dry roast red chillies on the same pan until you can smell them. Remove the chillies from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool.
5. Add in the cooled and roasted lentils, sesame seeds and red chillies to the mixie. Add in the salt, asafoetida (hing) and jaggery.
6. Grind the ingredients to the consistency you like. You can grind it fine, slightly coarse or to a coarse powder.
7. Enjoy with idlis!