Idli Powder 2 - Dry Lentil Chutney or Gunpowder

 When you are the first grand daughter, you get to enjoy a lot of special privileges and treats.  My dad's sisters and brothers often taught me or showed me things that were completely new to me.  Like toothpowder made of charcoal - these were the days when charcoal toothpastes were not available in the grocery store and nobody even thought of it.  I would even go one step further and say it was perhaps even looked down upon!  But look who is laughing now?  My paternal uncles and aunties who have perfect teeth! Ha ha!!

Coming to the topic of idli powder or dry lentil chutney, this was another thing introduced to me as a 4 or 5 year old by my uncle Arul. He got a plate, piled on some chutney powder and he said to me - make a mountain and then make a hole in the middle.  This is where you pour the oil.  Now use your fingers and mix it well.  Dip your idlis in the chutney and eat it.  I never questioned it.  And to this day, that is how I make it! Why let go of a good thing when it works perfectly well, isn't it?

I had previously posted a similar recipe and the main difference between the two is that I used white sesame seeds in this recipe and black in the previous one.  You can see that the colour shows in the final product.

Black or white, the taste is just great!  And the only labour is the roasting of the lentils and chillies.

And home made idli podi is just great because the fragrance is something that will not come in the ones you buy in packets. 

Ingredients:

1 cup urid dal

1/2 cup channa dal

1/4 cup mung dal

20 Kashmiri chillies (do not be alarmed, they just provide colour; feel free to reduce numbers)

8 hot red chillies (again, feel free to reduce the number of chillies, these are hot)

4 heaped tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon asoefetida

1 level tablespoon or less of rock salt crystals

3 stalks of fresh curry leaves

Method:

Step 1: In a heavy bottomed pan, dry roast all the dals individually till they become golden brown and smell fragrant.

Step 2: Dry roast the sesame seeds in the same pan.  These roast very quick - so stay close to the pan and take it off the flame as soon as they are done. 

Step 3: Dry roast the chillies.

Step 4: Dry roast the curry leaves till they turn crisp, but still retain their colour.

Step 5: Put all of the roasted ingredients and the salt and asafoetida together and give it a mix.

Step 6: Cool completely. 

Step 7: Grind to a coarse sand like texture.  Cool completely.

Yield: Just over 3 cups of chutney powder.

Serve with Indian cold pressed sesame oil or ghee or olive oil with idlis or dosas.