Some Indian Food recipes and Kitchen Tips

Tips on Indian Cooking

When I started cooking first I had to learn everything by trial and error. These are some of my recipes for my daughters who are both newly married [:-)] whenever they feel nostalgic for Mom's cooking. Others are also welcome !

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Special Idli Podi

Ingredients:
2 tbsp channa dal

2 tbsp Urad Dal

1/2 tbsp white til

1/4 tbsp whole coriander seeds

4 red chillis (or to taste)

1/2 tsp of asofaetida (or use the thick gum variety, the flavour is better)

1 tbsp dried curry leaves

salt to taste (1/2 tsp)

Method:

Dry roast channa dal on a hot kadai, keep aside on a flat plate to cool.Similarly, dry roast the urad dal, keep aside on top of the channa dal. Put in half a tsp of til oil and fry the red chillis on low flame (not very hot) and halfway through(1/2 minute later) add the coriander seeds and continue frying. After 1 minute, add the white til when the coriander seeds are about to start browning. In a minute, when it starts to splutter, add the curry leaves, asofaetida and salt in quick succession and turn off the heat. Empty the contents on to the channa-urad dal dish. Let it cool to room temperature.

Use the mixie jar to grind the podi to a coarse consistency. Check for salt and chillis halfway through. (You can dry roast another chilli or two and add after grinding it in a small jar or add salt, if needed.) Mix again and store in an airtight jar for use. Keeps well upto a month.

Serve with hot idlis. You can add 1 tsp sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil or flax seed oil, as per your taste, with a tsp of idli podi and use as an accompaniment to the usual chutneys. Even without chutneys this podi is a winner on its own! Sprinkle on top of dosa, just before you flip it on the pan, to make podi dosai.