Idli Milagai Podi is a must-have with idli/dosa, no matter how many chutneys or sambar we make. One dosa or idli with podi completes the meal. Idli rolled in podi and oil is my favorite work lunch—I just count down to lunchtime on those days!
Idli Milagai Podi
Idli Milagai Podi, fondly known as "gunpowder," hails from South India and is a staple in many households. All Southern States and their households have their own version of the podi. My recipe here is a traditional TamilNadu style idli podi. This fiery, flavorful spice blend of lentils, chilies, and spices adds a punch to idlis, dosas, and more!
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Nallennai (Gingely Oil)
- 25 nos. Red Chilies
- 15 nos. Kashmiri Red Chilies for color
- ½ cup Chana Dhal (Bengal Gram Dhal)
- 1 & ½ cups Whole Urad Dhal
- 1 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Let's roast the ingredients!
- First important step is that the flame has to be kept in low to low-medium throughout the process. Patience is key to a narukku murukku (coarse ground) idli podi 🙂
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed wide pan, add both type of Red chilies and roast them evenly and when it slightly puffs up, transfer it to a plate.
- Roasting time for each dhal is different.
- Now add Chana Dhal and slowly dry roast it so it turns into a golden brown color. This may take roughly up to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wider bowl.
- Add Whole Urad dhal and roast this, the same way as Chana Dhal and when it turns golden brown (this may take roughly up to 20 minutes), add hing and mix it well when hot. Transfer this together with Chana dhal.
- Let the chilies and the dhals cool down completely before grinding.
Let's grind the idli podi!!
- Firstly, grind the red chilies to a fine powder. You may set aside some of the chili powder so you can adjust the spice level later.
- Now add the dhals together along with some of the chili powder, add salt and pulse it a few times. You can grind it to a coarse or a fine powder, transfer it to the bowl, and taste test it. Add salt, and ground chilies if needed.
- Stays fresh for months in an airtight container. Any powder stays fresh and aromatic if you close the airtight container right after using.
- I store some in a ziploc bag in the freezer.
Tips
- For us, idli podi has to be ground coarsely since it tastes better and doesn't take too much oil while having it with idlis or dosas.
- Make more idlis the day you grind the idli powder, because I guarantee people eat more than usual when it's fresh podi…
- Idli podi is made in a zillion ways. People add peanuts, sesame seeds, jaggery, tamarind, etc. etc. I know only one way and I love it 🙂