This post was long due. Really long due……..no I mean it…. really, really long overdue. I don’t know what was holding me back from making it (considering the fact that it was just a matter of dry roasting and grinding the spices that are always stocked up in my pantry.) but this recipe was definitely holding back a few of my other recipes for sure!! (Stay tuned for those!) Anyhow, better late than never! So what’s Nalla Karam Podi? It’s a spicy Andhra podi very similar to gun powder, used to spice up Idlis and Dosas. And let me tell you this- “Boy Oh Boy! Does it jazz things up or what?”
My love affair with Podis started when I came to this country. My husband was friends with this awesome South Indian couple whose wife introduced me to Podis. I, then, for the first time, learnt that to eat Idlis and Dosas, you don’t always need Sambhar. That was a new concept to me. While all of the South India was relishing their Idlis and Dosas with podis, most of the North India was still hung up on sambhar and coconut chutney. If it was a little more authentic affair, you might spot a tomato chutney and peanut chutney too. But that was about it. Dry Powders were something the rest of the India hugely missed out on. What a pity!!!
When I was working in Bangalore, I had this amazing fortune to eat south Indian cuisines almost every day (If I wanted to). It made me wonder aloud “What is this place? Where have I suddenly landed?” Why hadn’t I known that more than the main meal, it is the Pachadis and Podis that will make me lick my fingers? Do they have to make awesome pachadis out of everything including eggplant, Okra, curry leaves and Gongura? Needless to say, I packed on quite a few pounds in that “wonderment process” and it was a nightmare losing those extra quintals.
Let’s not recall the nightmare right now! Try this podi and fall in love with its versatility. After tasting what I did, all I can say is “Welcome to the amazing and open-secret world of podis, my friends!!!”
Ingredients
- 33 gms Chana dal
- 17 gms white Urad dal
- 8 gms Byadagi whole Red Chili
- 1 large Garlic cloves or 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
- 40 gms Tamarind, deseeded
- 4 gms Cumin seeds
- 18 dry or fresh Curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 5 gms Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp hot red Chili powder
Instructions
- In a pan, dry roast chana dal, urad dal, whole red chilies, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and coriander seeds one by one.
- If using fresh curry leaves, roast them too till they are crispy dry.
- Let them cool down.
- To the grinder, add all the above ingredients as well as garlic (fresh or powder), tamarind, asafoetida, turmeric powder, salt and red chili powder and grind everything into a powder.
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