Curry Leaf Powder - Dry chutney

 Going to University, staying in a dorm with a bunch of students you have never seen before, eventually becoming friends with them - it is a rite of passage, especially when I was a young adult.  I stayed in a dorm with 7 other girls and we had bunk beds. Each of us came from different beliefs, sub cultures, religions and attributes.  Yet the best days of my life are invariably my "hostel days". 

After every semester break, when we came back to the hostel, each one of us would carry home made pickles, jams, cakes, spice mixes, chutney powders, home made ghee, sweets and snacks. Once we came back, we would arrange them all in the shelves and share each other's "goodies".  One of my friends, who is a pure vegetarian would bring amazing chutney powders and pickles.  Chutney powders are mixed with ghee or sesame oil and then you eat it with idlis or rice. 

The food in the hostel was pretty ordinary and it was our preserved pickles, jams and chutney powders that kept us going until the next semester break. This one is for the girls in Dorm room #2.

The other day my neighbour passed on a whole pile of fresh curry leaves and I didn't want to waste any of it. So I found this recipe from Padhu's Kitchen and this used a lot of the leaves. This spice mix can be eaten mixed with ghee or used to make curries and as a flavour enhancer for meat dishes. 

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh curry leaves, washed, gently dried with a tea towel and tightly packed

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons tur dal (pigeon pea dal)

2 tablespoons urid dal (skinned black lentils)

2 tablespoons channa dal (skinned chick pea dal)

3 - 4 dry red chillies

salt as needed

Method:

The items need to be roasted separately because the roasting times differ enormously.

Dry roast all the dals till they turn golden brown

Dry roast the chillies

Dry roast the pepper and cumin

Dry roast the curry leaves - till they turn crisp and will crumble when you break it with your fingers

Dry roast some salt as needed

Once all the items are cool enough to touch, grind it till fine.  Start by grinding dals first and lastly the leaves.

The chutney powder is a vibrant green and has a bite to it. I have tried it with rice - and when I use it to make a curry, I will post the recipe.