Gun powder | Idli milagai podi

Like sambar or rasam podi, this is also very personal. There is no one way to make it and there is no one recipe that is right. When I think about milagai podi, I am sure like many of you, it reminds me of the days where my paati (grandma) packs idli with milagai podi for those long road trips. I remember sitting with her while she packs hot idlis in freshly picked banana leaves and folding and tieing it with jute ropes. That totally seals all that fresh flavours and transfers it to that idli and milagai podi. It is one of those fondest memory of my childhood.

Idli podi/powder is a flavorful condiment that goes well with idli, dosa or in my case even with curd rice. Sometimes, I simply love mini idli tempered with idli milagai podi with some fried curry leaves on top. Leave a comment below how you enjoy your idli?

Every milagai podi recipe is different. But there will be few base ingredients like urad dal and sesame seed. You can personalize it to your taste bud, some interesting options to include are flax seed seeds, curry leaves

Ingredients

• Urad dal - ½ cup

• Sesame Seed - ½ cup

• Channa dal - ¼ cup

• Roasted bengal gram (Pottu kadalai) - 2 tbsp (optional)

• Dried red chilli - 10 to 12 | to your taste

• Jaggery - 4 tbsp | Optional

• Salt - to taste

• Asafoetida / Hing - ¼ tsp
  
  

Directions

Start by dry roasting each ingredient separately. I usually start by dry roasting sesame seeds as the pan will not be piping hot. Stop roasting sesame seeds as soon as they pop and start dancing in the pan, also when they tan a bit.

Then dry roast pottu kadalai until they release a nice aroma without changing color. I will then move on to urad dal and channa dal. I will roast until the lentils turn golden. Finally dry roast red chilli on low flame until you can hear the seeds jiggle inside. 

Spread all the ingredients on a sheet pan and let it come to room temperature. I like my podi fine on the little coarse side. You can grind to the consistency you prefer. My mom and brother like to bite on to the lentils in the podi. 

However you wish, I suggest grinding red chilli first so it is ground well before adding lentils to it. Before finishing, add salt, jaggery and hing to it and give a spin in the blender.

Mix a good amount of podi with sesame oil and smear with idli and enjoy. 

Note:

1. Adding jaggery and roasted channa dal is optional

2. Like I mentioned above, adding flaxseed powder, desiccated coconut or curry leaves is an interesting option.

3. Adjust, sweetness, salt and spice based on your liking. 

4. I used byadgi and regular long red chilli half and half for color and spice.

Enjoy and happy cooking.

Don’t forget to check my idli maavu recipe for tips to grind in blender.