Homemade Idli Milagai Podi
Idli podi or Milagai podi or gunpowder is a coarse spice powder is used as a chutney substitute for south indian breakfast like idli and dosa. Typically made of common kitchen ingredients like urad dal, chana dal, sesame seeds, red chilies and hing, it has a unique aroma and taste when prepared perfectly.Ingredients:
White whole urad dal - 1/2 cup
Chana dal - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 10 - 12 nos
Hing / Asafetida - 1/4 tsp
Cooking oil - 2 tsp
Salt - as needed
6 gloves garlic
1 tbsp jeera
1 tsp Khus Khus
2 sprig curry leaves
Preparation:
Roasting Step
Note: Sun dry the chillies, dal, curry leaves for a day if possible before
preparing idli podi.
Dal Combo
1. Slow roast Chana dal until aroma comes and the dal turns color. Remove
from the pan once the dal is golden. Allow it to cool.
2. Dry roast Urad dal in medium flame until it smells nutty and the dal
turns color. It should be really golden in colour. Remove it to cool.
Keep the dal mixture aside.
3. Add and roast curry leaves till they turn crisp. This gives a nice
aroma to the podi.
Note: Do not add oil while roasting dals to increase the shelf life
of podi.
The key to achieve a nice crunchy texture is to slow roast the lentils to
golden.
Chilli Combo
1. Roast the chillies in the same pan till crispy and golden brown. Ensure
the color is not changed drastically.
2. Add 6-8 cloves of garlic chopped with skin along to the chillies and
roast till it turns golden and crisp.
Remove the pan contents to cool.
Note:
• Roasting the chillies in sesame oil can elevate the flavor & to cool
down the spice from chilies.
• Sometimes the insides of roasted garlic may be hot and will ooze out
water while grinding. So let it cool completely for atleast 30 mins.
Flavour Combo
1 . Add & stir jeera until aroma arises.
2. Add in Khus Khus and stir for some time.
3. Finally sprinkle hing and saute till it gets well coated to pan
contents.
Switch off the flame. Leave it to cool.
Note: Asafoetida/Hing is the main flavoring ingredient of idli
podi.
Optional Ingredients & Instructions:
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds/peanut - Keep sauteing the sesame seeds on low
flame until it starts to pop. First grind sesame seeds but do not grind it
too much as it oozes out oil.
• 1 tbsp grated Coconut - Roast coconut separately.
• 1 tsp Raw rice
• 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds – Dry roast coriander seeds till it turns
fragrant, crisp and golden.
• Small piece of tamarind - Add the tamarind to the hot pan and leave it
there so that the moisture in it dries out. It adds flavor and slightly
tangy taste to podi.
Grinding Step
To get a slightly coarse and perfect texture, take care of these steps.
1. Grind Chilli-Combo first.
2. Add the Flavour-Combo next.
3. Then comes the Dal-Combo atlast.
Finally add required salt to he grinding mixture.
Note:
Add optional 1 tbsp sambar powder before one final pulse to get the
authentic Tamil hotel style idli podi.
Usage Step:
Store in an airtight box. Make use of clean dry spoons only.
Note: Enjoy this podi drizzled with gingely oil in combination with
idli/dosa .