Ellu Podi - A Spice Mix from South India
Ellu Podi
Jan Darbhamulla
This is one of the many spice powders that are eaten with rice, idli, dosa and other South Indian foods. I do like to use the sesame seed powder in green bean curries. I will make up a green bean curry and then right before the heat is turned off, I will stir in a couple of spoons of the sesame seed powder and stir it in.
Ingredients
1 cup sesame seeds or til (white?)
2 tbsp. cumin seeds
30 dry red chillies
1 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
Dry fry sesame seeds until a nice aroma rises. Keep aside.
Dry fry cumin seeds and 30 dry chillies in a wok or frying pan, until the cumin seeds darken several shades. Keep aside.
Powder the cumin seeds, dried red chillies and sesame seeds together and add garlic powder, coriander powder and salt.
Mix well. Keep in an airtight jar.
Serve with fresh hot rice and ghee or oil.
Notes
You can add 1/2 cup of dry roasted Urad Dal (skinless, split black gram dal) at the grinding stage.
Garlic powder can be substituted with 1/2 tsp. asafoetida or hing powder, add it to cumin seeds and chillies during roasting.
