Gun Powder Recipe (Paruppu Podi)

Updated: August 27, 2024, By Swasthi

Say Hello to this edible Gun Powder, a popular hot and spicy lentil condiment from South India. If you have ever been to a South Indian home or a restaurant, most likely you would have fallen in love with this traditional condiment. Gun Powder is a blanket term used to refer a delicious lentil powder that explodes hot and spicy flavors in your mouth.

My version goes by the name Kandi Podi in Telugu and Paruppu Podi in Tamil and is made with various kinds of lentils, chilies, cumin seeds and garlic. If stored well this gunpowder masala keeps good for 2 to 3 months at room temperature. It is oil-free, gluten-free, 100% plant based and is easily customizable to your preference.

Gun Powder Recipe - Masala Paruppu Podi



This spicy and hot condiment can spice up any boring meal. It can be served in many ways – mixed with hot rice and ghee, or with any flavored rice dishes. Simply sprinkle on any kind of stir fry or salads to instantly boost the flavors. Sky is the limit! Get creative and eat it with just anything, when you want a spicy blast.

About Gun Powder Recipe

South Indians often stock different kinds of podi (spiced condiments) and pickles to be served on the side with traditional meals. Idli podi, Curry leaves podi, Peanut podi, flaxseed podi and this kandi podi are some which I make on repeat. There are so many more with plenty of delicious flavors like sesame powder and nalla karam which are lesser known.

At home we eat this spicy gun powder with breakfast dishes like upma, semiya, quinoa, Idli, dosa and uttapams. A lot of times we also sprinkle it over boiled eggs and eat them. Any time I find a stir fry or sauteed veggie to be bland, this gun powder comes to my rescue. On the lazy weeknights, we also serve this as a side with a simple lemon rice, curd rice or rasam-rice.

Traditionally this condiment is made with just toor dal, red chilies, cumin seeds, garlic and salt. Kandi is the Telugu name for pigeon peas (whole with skin and skinless split) and podi translates to powder. So toor dal aka pigeon peas is the main ingredient in this gunpowder.

This lentil most often has a slight bitter aftertaste, so the modern versions include chana dal (Bengal gram), moong dal or roasted chana dal (fried gram). I personally prefer to include curry leaves because it aids digestion. This recipe will make the exact same podi you find in Andhra restaurants (if you use the roasted chana dal).

Ingredients & Substitutes

  • Lentils – Use a combination of toor dal, moong dal and chana dal for best flavors. However you may substitute one with the other but the flavors change a bit & still tastes good. Using urad dal in this version, will produce somewhat similar to the Idli Podi/ Milagai Podi. If you do not have all of them use only red lentils (split skinned masoor dal). I know red lentils are the least used in South Indian cuisine but they work here.
  • Red Chilies – I use Byadgi or Kashmiri red chilies which are medium to low heat here. But for a spicy and more hot flavors, use something like Guntur or other kind of hot chilies. You may substitute the whole chilies with 1 tablespoon red chili powder. For a low heat option, I also deseed the chilies before toasting them.
  • Cumin seeds – I prefer to toast my cumin seeds for a nutty flavor and extended shelf life. Traditionally a lot of people add raw cumin seeds but I haven’t tried it in this recipe.
  • Garlic – It adds flavor and the traditional version uses raw garlic. But I prefer to toast it to cut down the pungent flavor and to extend shelf life. You may substitute it with sonti/ saunt/ dried ginger but using too much can make your gun powder taste bitter.

If you love different flavor profiles, check out my variation section below. For more podi recipes check out these
Curry Powder
Idli Podi
Curry Leaves Podi
Flaxseed Podi
Peanut Podi
Chai Spice Powder

Photo Guide

How to make Spicy Gun Powder

It is very important to roast the ingredients separately as mentioned below for thorough roasting. Under cooked lentils will leave a bitter and raw flavor in the podi.

Preparation

1. Measure the following ingredients and keep them ready before you begin to dry roast the ingredients.

  • 100 grams – ½ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas or use ¼ cup each toor & moong dal/ yellow skinned moong lentils)
  • 50 grams – ¼ cup chana dal (Bengal gram or substitute with roasted chana dal/ fried gram)
  • 10 dried red chilies (20 grams, I use byadgi, deseed if required)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (7 grams) 
  • 4 medium garlic cloves (5 grams, peeled)
  • 1 to 2 sprig curry leaves (optional, pat dry with kitchen paper to remove moisture)
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste, start lower amounts, using too little salt can cut down the shelf life)
ingredients to make gun powder masala

2. Add red chilies to a heavy bottom pan and dry roast them on a medium heat, until they begin to smell pungent and become slightly crisp. Do not burn. Remove to a cooling plate.

roasting red chilies in a pan

3. Add toor dal and roast on a medium heat until aromatic and evenly roasted to a golden brown color. Keep stirring non-stop else they won’t cook evenly from inside.

lentils in a pan to make paruppu podi

4. It takes about 6 to 7 mins. Here is a close look at the lentils. Do not burn. Transfer to the same plate, away from the chilies.

roasted paruppu/lentils in a pan

5. Repeat roasting chana dal the same way.

6. This is how they look. Transfer to the plate.

7. Dry roast curry leaves and garlic for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves turn crisp. Add cumin seeds and toast until aromatic. This should take a minute. Stir in the salt and let cool down completely.

roasting spices and curry leaves

Make Paruppu Podi

8. Grind the chilies, garlic, curry leaves, salt and cumin seeds to a fine powder.

9. If you don’t deseed the chilies, it may not become very fine and it’s alright to proceed.

10. Add the lentils and grind as fine as possible, in intervals, scraping the sides as required.

11. You won’t get a super fine powder due to the lentils, a very little grainy texture is what is preferred here. You need to achieve a balance between the fine and grainy textures.

Cool down completely and store the gunpowder in a air tight steel or glass jar. Serve it as a side in your South Indian meal. It can be mixed with hot rice and ghee and eaten at the start of the meal.

Gun Powder - Paruppu Podi

Variations

  • You may add pepper corn and cut down chilies a bit. This produces a more peppery flavor.
  • Using different kind of chilies produces a gunpowder with different flavor profile. Button chilies, mathania chilies, guntur chilies etc are some you may try out with.
  • Adding 2 tablespoons of deep roasted coriander seeds to this will impart a different flavor.
  • You may use toor dal (or moong dal), chana dal and white sesame in equal quantities. Make sure the sesame is not gone rancid. With the addition of sesame, the shelf life reduces to 1 month.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

Spicy Gunpowder Recipe - Paruppu Podi

Gun Powder Recipe (Paruppu Podi, Kandi Podi)

5 from 2 votes
This spicy and hot gunpowder is going to spice up your boring meal! Sprinkle it over rice, stir fry / sauteed veggies or flavored rice dishes.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings160 grams (⅔ cup)
AuthorSwasthi
Diet : Gluten Free, Vegan

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • ½ cup (100 grams) toor dal (split pigeon peas or use ¼ each toor & moong dal/ yellow skinned moong lentils)
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) chana dal (Bengal gram or substitute with roasted chana dal/ fried gram)
  • 1 tablespoon (7 grams) cumin seeds
  • 10 (20 grams) dried red chilies (I use byadgi, deseeded if required)
  • 4 medium (5 grams) garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 1 to 2 sprig curry leaves (optional, pat dry to remove moisture)
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste, start with ½ tsp)


Instructions

How to make Spicy Gunpowder

  • On a medium heat, dry roast red chilies in a heavy pan, until they begin to smell pungent and slightly crisp. Do not burn. Remove to a plate.
  • Add toor dal and begin to roast on a medium heat until aromatic and evenly roasted to a golden brown color. It takes about 6 to 7 mins. Transfer to the plate, separate from the chilies. Repeat roasting chana dal and transfer to the plate.
  • Dry roast curry leaves and garlic for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves turn crisp. Add cumin seeds and toast until aromatic. This should take a minute. Stir in the salt and let cool down completely.
  • Grind the chilies, garlic, curry leaves, salt and cumin seeds to a fine powder. Add the lentils and grind to a fine powder, in intervals, scraping the sides as required. You won't get a super fine powder due to the lentils, a very little grainy texture is what is preferred here.
  • Cool down completely and store the gunpowder in a air tight steel or glass jar. Serve it as a side in your South Indian meal. It can be mixed with hot rice and ghee and eaten at the start of the meal.


NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Gun Powder Recipe (Paruppu Podi, Kandi Podi)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 4
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.02g0%
Saturated Fat 0.002g0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.01g
Sodium 11mg0%
Potassium 10mg0%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 0.03g0%
Protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin A 2IU0%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 1mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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About Swasthi

Iโ€™m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthiโ€™s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
Gosh. Memories. Thank you. Made it yesterday

5 stars
Love your recipes. I made a double batch to share with my MIL and she said it is as good as hers! Thank you