Idli Podi / Powder I

                     Idli Powder I is the version of my mother in law. She is very particular about the black urad dhal. This powder is very much relished by my children and spouse.

                  The name may be Idli powder but it goes very well with Idli, Dosai,
Uppuma etc, for the best taste it has to be mixed only with the Gingelly oil at the time of eating.

Idli Podi

Ingredients :

Red  chilly  10 - 15
Black Urad Dhal / Karuppu Uzhundam Paruppu  3/4 cup
Channa Dhal  / kadalai paruppu  1/2 cup
Salt, Oil, Hing, Curry leaves.
Garlic ( optional )   5 - 10 pods.

Method :

1. Add 2 tsp. of oil in a kadai and roast the Urad dhal till the colour changes,
   giving an aroma. Add Hing in the end. Set aside.For the best flavour, solid
   Hing is better than the powder. My mother in law uses more oil for frying
   but it has its own taste. The mixer also never gets stuck up as many believe
   because of using more oil.

2. Heat again 2 tsp. of oil and roast the Channa dhal in the same way. Set
    aside.

3. Heat 2 tsp. of oil and roast the red chilly and a handful of curry leaves. Let it 
    cool.

4. Powder the Dhal. Transfer to a tray. Then powder the red chilly and the curry
   leaves. Add the salt and the garlic. Powder. My mother in law always adds salt
   only in the end. 

5. To the powdered chilly, add the powdered dhal and grind everything together
    for 1 or 2 minutes to the desired texture. My mother in law makes the
    powder little coarse. The tasty Idli Powder is ready.