Idli podi recipe

Idli podi is a flavorful condiment made of lentils, seeds and spices. It is known by different names such as milagai podi, gun powder, idli karam podi or chutney podi. Pudi or podi is a generic South Indian term that refers to powder. Since it is eaten with idli, it is known as idli podi. The recipe shared here will yield you idli podi that has a unique flavor and taste. It is a good addition to serve with idli topped with sesame oil or hot ghee.

Most people love to enjoy their idli with idli sambar & coconut chutney. But this podi is great to have if you have fussy kids at home.

Preparation

1. Dry roast red chilies till they turn crisp. Set this aside. Dry roast urad dal and chana dal on a medium flame till lightly golden and aromatic. Transfer these to the plate. I did them together. The red chilies didn’t crisp well this way.

If you are making idli podi in more quantity then you will need to roast the chana dal and urad dal separately as each dal has different roast timing.

2. Add curry leaves. I prefer to dry roast instead of using oil. If you prefer you can fry them in oil but the podi may not blend well with oil.

3. Dry roast on a low flame till they turn crisp. Set these aside as well.

4. Add sesame seeds, cumin and coconut. Fry until the sesame seeds begin to crackle. You can also roast them separately. Using copra gives the best taste and flavor instead of using ready desiccated coconut.

You can also replace sesame with peanuts. Fry until peanuts turn aromatic and light brown.

5. If using garlic add it now. Then toss for a while. You can skip garlic but it adds a good flavor. Cool all these ingredients.

How to make idli podi

6. Powder finely red chilies and dals first. Scrape off the sides of the blender jar, then add sesame seeds, coconut, cumin, garlic and salt.

7. Powder them. If you try to blend all the roasted ingredients together, it may yield a very coarse powder unless you have a powerful blender.

Serve idli podi with idli & ghee.

Store idli podi in an airtight glass or steel jar. It keeps good for several months. Different regions made idli podi in different ways. Here are some variations:

Variations of idli podi

1. Traditional Tamil style milagai podi is made of only 6 ingredients – urad dal, chana dal, sesame seeds, red chilies, hing & salt. However ingredients like jeera, tamarind, jaggery & garlic are also included by many.

2. Andhra style idli karam podi is made in so many different ways. Each region has their own variations. The ingredients are the same as shared in the recipe card below. But includes coriander seeds and excludes sesame seeds.

I make idli podi only few times a year. I make the peanut podi or flaxseed podi more often since my kids love both of those. They are also more healthy than the basic one.

To make idli podi, I use chana dal, urad dal, dried coconut and sesame seeds in equal quantities. Dried coconut is optional but I prefer to use since it is high in calcium. It gives a nice nutty aroma but ensure to use fresh and good quality copra. Do not use rancid smelling coconut.

Red chilies are used to spice up the idli podi. To add flavor cumin and garlic are used. For health benefits curry leaves or flax seeds can also be added. These proportions work well to make a flavorful milagai podi.

I do not use tamarind and jaggery, only reason there is no way to filter and use them for this recipe, so i skip them. idli podi remains fresh for a couple of months if handled with moist free spoons.

I make idli podi with so many variations, you can try with peanuts, flax seeds or even with some almonds. This was another time I made with some peanuts instead of sesame.

For more South Indian recipes, you may like to check
Dosa recipe
Poori recipe
Restaurant style masala dosa
Uttapam
Paniyaram

You can also use this podi for other breakfasts like upma, idli, semiya upma and even with rice. During winters, you can also add a bit of dry ginger or ginger powder.

Recipe card