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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Kandi Podi



Flavorful, protein rich, legume powders are a common occurance in South Indian kitchens. Some are used to spice up the dishes and some gel well with some steamed, hot rice and a spoonful of ghee. Today's recipe 'kandi podi' which literally means 'toordal powder' from Andhra belongs to the latter kind. Cumin and asafoetida add the aroma and flavor to this delicious podi.
I prepare this in two different ways and am posting both the versions.

Ingredients needed:
Toordal - 1/2 cup
Chanadal - 1/4 cup
Red chilies - 10 (Increase or decrease the quantity depending upon the spiciness you prefer. I used 5 byadagi chilies for color and 5 hot variety chilies. If using only hot variety, about 7-8 chilies will suffice.)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - about 12
Salt - 1 tsp
2 tsp oil
A little asafoetida

Making kandi podi:
Heat oil in a small saute pan and add asafoetida. Turn off the stove after about 20 seconds and leave it aside.
On medium flame, dry roast the dals in a saute pan till they turn red. Take care not to burn them. During the final stage of frying dals, add the chilies and curry leaves as well to toast.
Remove the dal mixture and add cumin seeds to the same pan. Toast the cumin seeds on low flame till they slightly brown.
Allow the mixture to cool. Then grind it along with the asafoetida into a coarse powder adding salt.
Or you can skip adding asafoetida while grinding and add it to the powder at the end and mix well.

This is another variation I got from M's aunt. It is almost like toordal chutney in the powdery form.

Ingredients needed:
Toordal 1/2 cup
Red chilies - 8 (used 4 byadagi chilies for color and 4 hot variety chilies )
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt as needed
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Making podi:
On  medium flame, roast the toor dal till it turns red, taking care not to burn it. At the final stage, add red chillies as well and toast them. 
Toast the cumin seeds on low flame till they slightly brown.
After the mixture cools, grind it into a coarser powder adding salt
Heat oil in a saute pan and add mustard seeds. Turn off the stove when they start to splutter. Let it cool.
Add the mustard seeds to the ground powder and mix well.

This goes to
1. Susan's MLLA, 21st edition being guest hosted by MirchMasala.
2. Vegetable Marathon - Beans hosted by Silpa.

Post a comment

10 comments:

Meena said...

Very interesting spice mix, suma!!!I love these powders...have loved them since childhood!good post!

Latha said...

Love this spicy podi with rice any day. Great click.

Nithu Bala said...

Sounds too good..beautiful click too..

Champa said...

Thanks for stopping by. Yes, it is a weekly event. If you bake something and send it, it'll be posted on next week's (friday) roundup. Hope to see your entry soon.

Silpa said...

That's a tempting powder. Love it with rice n touch of a little gee
thx for the entry..

Finla said...

Podis are something i have enver made at home. This just looks so so good.

Simplyfood said...

These spice powders looks delicious nad very versatile.

Deepa G Joshi said...

Niceee. I always like to keep these ready for a instant mix or when you need to prepare a spicy dish right away.

It looks a bit like powder chutney as well :)

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Yummy on hot rice with ghee ...........super

Manju said...

Thanks for the entry! The MLLA Round Up - Part 1 is up on the blog now. Thanks again!

http://www.mirchmasala.me/2010/04/mlla-21-round-up-part-1.html

And this podi will be so awesome with some hot rice and ghee!!