Recipe: Milagai Podi (மிளகாய் பொடி)

This is a spicy chutney powder that is eaten with idli and dosa. I simply love to have it with even rotis and bread toast. You need to add til oil to it while serving.

Ingredients:

1. Mustard Seeds (கடுகு) (राइ) - 1/4 cup
2. White Sesame Seeds (வெள்ளை எள்ளு) (सफ़ेद तिल) - 1/2 cup
3. Channa Dal (கடலை பருப்பு) (चन्ना दाल) - 1 cup
4. Urad Dal (உளுத்தம்பருப்பு) (उरद दाल) - 1 cup
5. Chutni Dal (பொட்டுகடலை) (भूना चन्ना दाल) - 1 cup (optional)
6. Groundnuts (வேர்கடலை) (सींगदाने) - 1 cup (optional)
7. Asafoetida (பெருங்காயப்பொடி) (हिंग) - 2 tbsp
8. Jaggery (வெல்லம்) (गुर) - 1/2 cup
9. Salt to taste
10. Til Oil (நல்லெண்ணெய்) (तिल का तेल) - 5 tsp
11. Red Chillies (வெத்த மிளகாய்) (लाल मिर्ची) - 150 gm (if very spicy, take less)

Method:

1. Take a saucepan and roast the mustard seeds and sesame seeds separately till they crackle and keep aside in a steel bowl.

2. Add one tsp oil each time and roast the dals one by one till golden brown in colour. Keep adding these to the bowl.

3. Take the last spoon of oil and roast the red chillies in it. Make sure that they don't turn too dark or black. This will spoil the colour of the chutney.

4. Allow all of these to cool down before coarse grinding in the mixer.

5. Add the jaggery, asafoetida and salt in between and grind those too.

6. Mix everything thoroughly before storing in an air-tight container after the mixture cools down.

The red chutney powder is ready for use and can be stored for about a couple of months. Use it along with til oil when you serve idlis or dosas. Tastes absolutely yummy!