Idli Milagai Podi/Chutney Powder

Idly Milagai Podi, served with generous amounts of gingelly oil or ghee serves just right for Idly or Dosa. No Tamil homes, I would say, without this red spicy aromatic powder, preserved in small or big jars, glass bottles or plastic containers. This is one of the famous powders/podi recipes of Andhra. It was quite new to me when I had for the first time and liked it instantly with idli. It is a very versatile powder and can be eaten with idly, dosa, paniyaram or uthappam.I love to sprinkle this podi over dosa for a variation.

Prep time      :    5 mins                      Cook time       :        15 mins

Ingredients	Quantity
Dry red chili	12 no’s
Urad dal	½ cup
Channa dal	¼ cup
Hing	¾ tsp.
Jeera powder	½ tbsp
Curry leaves	10
Oil	½ tsp
Rock salt	To taste
Garlic pods skin	Handful
Sesame seeds	2 tsp

Method

1. Heat a wok and dry roast channa dal and the Urad dal separately until deep brown. Keep the flame 'medium', taking care not to over or under fry. The frying part is the most important slot as this decides the quality of the powder. 2. Clean and wash curry leaves and remove extra water and spread it on a dry cloth to let the leaves dry completely without any water. Leave it for 3-4hrs.Heat 1/4 tsp. oil and add red chilies and fry until crisp and remove it and keep it aside. Heat 1/4 tsp. oil and add curry leaves and fry until they are crisp and remove it and keep it aside. Switch off the flame.3. Once everything comes to room temperature grind fried chana dal, urad dal, red chillies, cumin powder to a coarse powder.Add fried curry leaves, salt and grind again to a coarse powder.Add whole garlic pods skin and run it in whipper mode now or run it just for 30 secs in the regular mode. The powder should be coarse not very fine.4. Once it cools remove it and keep it in an air tight container.Serve this powder with Idly/Dosa/Uthappam/Paniyaram.While serving it make a well in 1tbsp powder in the plate and pour 1/2 tsp. ghee in it and mix well.

Notes

Make sure you fry all the ingredients well and let the curry leaves be completely dry.

Always use a dry spoon when taking out the powder.Keep it in air tight container to seal the aroma of this podi.

If you prefer a less spicy version just reduce the red chilies to half.If you don’t like Hing flavor to dominate then add just 1/2 tsp.

Sesame oil is good for health so add it generously and enjoy your idlis.