If you are a regular reader of Kannamma Cooks, you know about the legendary kola urandai that is a signature dish of neikarapatti amma. This ellu podi is another signature dish on the breakfast table at Neikarapatti. This is my brothers favorite. So throughout the year, whenever amma came to Coimbatore, this ellu podi would be packed in initialed stainless steel dabbas and left at my aunts place for my brother. Those days, all the dabbas / boxes were made of stainless steel or brass. It would have the initials of the lady of the house, carved on them. There would be so many dabbas coming and going from ones house. The initial would tell the identity of the dabba and it would be returned correctly. Then came the world of Tupperware and zip-locks. Aw! my beautiful eighties and nineties. Life was slow, people met more often in person and life was just nice. Its all but beautiful memories now! Coming back to this ellu podi! This is an excellent lentil powder that can be served with idli and dosa just like idli milagai podi. It also goes well with rice mixed with some ghee. Here is how to do ellu podi!
Ellu Podi – Sesame Seed Lentil Powder for Idli Dosa and Rice / Sadam. Tamil style recipe from kongunad. Black Ellu Idli Milagai Podi.
We will be roasting all the ingredients separately. First we will roast the black sesame seeds. Traditionally the seeds and lentils are dry roasted. But I add a teaspoon of peanut oil while roasting. It fries really well bringing the robust aromas out. Take a pan and add in a scant teaspoon of oil. Add in the black sesame seeds and fry on a low flame. Low Flame is the key while making any South Indian lentil powder. Cooking on high flame will burn the ingredients. Fry the seeds till they have a glossy shine and they are very hot to touch. It will look oily. The seeds will start to burst. That’s a sign that the seeds have been roasted. Remove from the pan and spread on a plate or a newspaper to cool.
In the same pan add in a teaspoon of oil and add whole white urad dal. Use unpolished urad dal. Roast the lentil until it smells nutty and the dal turns color. It should be really golden in colour. Always roast on low flame. That is the key. Remove from the pan once the dal is golden. Set aside on a plate to cool.
In the same pan, dry roast the curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Wait for the curry leaves to dry and the chillies to fluff up. Remove from the pan and spread on a plate or a newspaper to cool.
Spread all the ingredients on a news paper and let it cool completely.
Add in the cooled ingredients to a mixie jar. Add in the salt and asafoetida (hing). Grind to a slightly coarse powder. If you like your powder to be smooth, pulse several times mixing in-between. I like the slight crunch of the lentils. So I keep it very slightly coarse. Grind to a consistency that you like.
You can store this ellu podi at room temperature for upto 15-20 days. If you are going to need it for a longer time, then store the podi in zip tote bags in the freezer. It stays fresh for upto 4-5 months in the freezer.
Mix the ellu podi either with sesame oil (nallennai) or ghee and serve with idli or dosa. If serving with rice, add a teaspoon of the powder and a teaspoon of ghee to a cup of rice. Mix well and serve.
- 2 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1 cup black sesame seed
- 1 cup whole white urad dal
- 4 sprigs curry leaves
- 10 dried red chillies
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and roast the sesame seeds until they are glossy and aromatic. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same pan add in a teaspoon of oil and add whole white urad dal. Roast the lentil until it smells nutty and the dal turns color. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same pan, dry roast the curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Wait for the curry leaves to dry and the chillies to fluff up.
- Spread all the ingredients on a news paper and let it cool completely.
- Add in the cooled ingredients to a mixie jar. Add in the salt and asafoetida (hing). Grind to a slightly coarse powder.
- You can store this ellu podi at room temperature for upto 15-20 days. If you are going to need it for a longer time, then store the podi in zip tote bags in the freezer. It stays fresh for upto 4-5 months in the freezer.
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