Idli milagai podi/Gun powder - Gun powder is an essential accompaniment to the idli and dosa of South India. There are innumerable ways of making gun powder, but the key ingredients are almost the same. Also called by Ellu podi sometimes, a tsp of idli podi with oil becomes the saviour when chutney and sambar don't turn up. It becomes poondu podi when garlic is added or the thengai podi in which dry coconut is added and can be mixed with rice with some pachadi as an accompaniment. In the olden days, people used to mix the gun powder with sesame oil and smear it over idli and uttapams(thick pancakes) for long-distance travels. In this way the idli/dosa absorbs the flavour of the powder and sesame oil prevents it from drying.
Key Ingredients:
Lentils - Black Urad Dal(whole urad with skin).
Seeds - Black Sesame seeds. White also can be used.
Souring agents - tamarind
Spices - Guntur variety red chillies are used you can use Salem variety or a combination of Salem and Kashmiri chillies, hing are used.
Herbs - Curry leaves are used.
Salt - Use normal crystal salt or pink crystal Salt.
Oil - Sesame oil suits the best though you can use any oil for sauteing.
Method:
- Saute and powder.
Shelf - life:
Stays good for a month in an air-tight container.
Suggested Serving:
Idli, dosa, upma- goes with everything.
Substitutions:
- White sesame seeds can be used.
- Urad dal without skin can be used.
You may also try:
Equipment Used:
Blender, Kadai/pan.
Recipe:
Total time taken - 20 minutes.
1 cup - 200ml
Ingredients:
Black urad dal - 1.5 cups
Black sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Red chillies - 2 cups
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 fistful
Curry leaves - a few sprigs.
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
Directions:
1. Heat a Kadai, add sesame seeds. saute till they crackle. Transfer to a plate, cool down.
2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a kadai/pan, add urad dal, red chillies, tamarind(make it into pieces), curry leaves and hing. Saute till urad dal chillies, curry leaves change colour. Transfer to a plate. Cool down.
3.Add salt and grind everything together till coarse or fine(according to your preference)
4.Store it in an air-tight container.
Note:
- It is important to keep the flame medium-low else you will end up burning the dal and seeds
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