Nellikai Podi/ Gooseberry powder

Ingredients:
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• Gooseberry -  15 to 20 ( Nellikai )
• Salt             -   to taste
• Red chillies -   6 to 7( according to taste)
• Asafoetida  -   a pinch ( Perungayam/ Hing)
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp ( Vendhayam)
• Jaggery               -  1 tsp

Method:

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• Wash and pat dry the gooseberries.
• Shred the gooseberries in a grater.
• Dry it in sun for a day.
• Saute the grated gooseberries in a kadai till the moisture is evaporated.Set aside to cool.
• Dry roast fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and red chillies in the same kadai.
• Grind the above ingredients in a mixer.
• Add the dried and grated gooseberries ,salt and jaggery to it.
• Grind the above ingredients into a coarse powder.
• Adjust salt and jaggery according to your taste.

Have with rice,ghee and papad.

Rasam Podi

Rasam....A delicious south Indian soup is very easy to prepare and at the same time its difficult to get it perfect.The powder for rasam can be made then and there while preparing it.

We can also make the powder separately and store it in air tight containers.This will be of great help to make rasam in a jiffy.

This powder determines the taste of the rasam.Here is the recipe for a delicious spicy udipi style Rasam powder.The quantity of the ingredients is a very important factor.Please use the exact measures.

Ingredients:

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• Dhania/Coriander seeds - 110 grams
• Red chillies - 100 grams(Kashmiri Red chillies)
• Salem Red chilli - 75 grams
• Peppercorns - 50 grams
• Fenugreek seeds - 25 grams
• Chana dal/kadalaparuppu - 25 grams
• Jeera /Cumin seeds - 30 grams
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Hing - a small pinch,say a ball of dia ,0.5cm/ 1/2teaspoon powder
• Oil - 1 1/4 teaspoon

If you do not the kashmiri and salem red chillies,just use 175 grams of the normal red chilli.

Method:

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• Spread all the dried red chillies on a plate and keep it in hot sun for 5 to 6 hours.
• In a kadai,saute mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds on a low flame till they turn brown in colour.(Dry roast-without oil).Take them away and set aside.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil and saute pepper corns on a low flame till they burst.Take away and set aside.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil and saute the red chillies on a low flame so that each of it gets coated with a polish of oil.Saute just for 20 to 25 sec.Set aside.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil and saute hing and dhania together till the raw smell goes off.Take away and set aside.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil and saute the chana dal till it changes to brown colour.Take away and set aside.
• In the same heat,saute jeera for 20 sec.
• Mix all the roasted ingredients in the kadai and gently heat them.(Saute for a min)
• Grind finely in a mixer(not too fine...may be 99% fine) and set aside to cool.

Store it in air tight container.

Sambar Podi

Sambar is one of the important dishes in south Indian cuisine.Sambar can be made with freshly ground masala with coconut(Arachuvitta sambar) or without coconut(Podi potta sambar).

Podi potta sambar can be made with any veggies like madras onion,brinjals,drumstick,mix of carrot and potatoes,ladiesfinger,ashgourd,pumpkin,radish ,etc.Some sambar with veggies like radish,ladiesfinger tastes best when made with just podi and dal.

We can make this powder and store it in air tight containers.Using this powder,sambar can be made in a jiffy.Podi potta sambar goes very well with idli and dosas.Here is the recipe for Udipi style Sambar powder.(This sambar is known as "Udipi Kothael",famous for its aroma)

Sambar podi:

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Certain modifications to the recipe of rasam podi will give you the recipe for sambar podi.


Ingredients:
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• Dhania/Coriander seeds  -  110 grams
• Red chillies                     -  100 grams(Kashmiri Red chillies)
• Salem Red chilli              -   75 grams
• Fenugreek seeds            -   25 grams
• (Whole/Split) Urad dal   -   25 grams
• Rice(Raw rice)      - 1 teaspoon
• Hing                              -  a small pinch,say a ball of dia ,0.5cm/ 1/2teaspoon  powder
• Oil                                 -  1 1/4 teaspoon

If you do not the kashmiri and salem red chillies,just use 175 grams of the normal red chilli.

Method:
======

• Spread all the dried red chillies on a plate and keep it in hot sun for 5 to 6 hours.
• In a kadai,saute rice and fenugreek seeds on a low flame till they turn brown in colour.(Dry roast-without oil).Take them away and set aside.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil and saute the red chillies on a low flame so that each of it gets coated with a polish of oil.Saute just for 20 to 25 sec.Set aside.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil and saute hing and dhania together till the raw smell goes off.Take away and set aside.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil and saute the Urad dal till it changes to brown colour.Take away and set aside.
• Mix all the roasted ingredients in the kadai and gently heat them.(Saute for a min)
• Grind finely in a mixer(not too fine...may be 99% fine) and set aside to cool.
• Store it in air tight container.

Idly Podi/Molagapodi

Ingredients:
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• Whole Urad dal,skinless - 200 grams
• Chana dal/kadalaparuppu - 75 grams
• Red chillies - 20 to 25
• Asafoetida - 3 small round balls,each the size of a chana dal or 1/2 tsp powder
• White sesame seeds/Ellu - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• tamarind - a small piece,say like a 25 paise coin
• jaggery - a pinch

Method:

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• Wash the Urad dal well and drain the water completely.
• Heat oil in a kadai and roast the asafoetida .
• Take away the roasted asafoetida and set aside.
• Saute the urad dal in the same oil till they turn brown on a medium flame.Take it and set aside.
• Saute chana dal in the same kadai till they turn brown.Set aside.
• On a low flame ,saute red chillies for a min.Set aside.
• Wash the sesame seeds,drain the water and saute in the same kadai.
• When it starts to crackle,switch off the gas.
• Now mix all the ingredients with tamarind and jaggery and pulse twice/thrice in a mixer.
• Add salt and grind to a coarse powder.(Its always better to keep pulsing and seeing the consistency of the podi in between instead of grinding it in 1 shot)

Yummy Podi is ready.Store it in an air tight container.

Mix the podi with little oil and have with Idly/dosa.