Curry leaf and Peanut Idli Milagai Podi or Chutney powder with step by step pictures. This homemade gun powder made using Karuvepilai (Curry Leaf) and Verkadalai (Peanuts) is aromatic, healthy and rich in both Proteins and Iron and tastes great when served with hot idlis or dosas and is ideal to pack for long journeys as it does not get spoiled quickly.
As you all know, curry leaves are a rich source of iron and prevents premature graying of hair. So this idli podi is a perfect way to add curry leaves in our daily diet. Also peanuts are primary crop in my MIL’s place and they use it in all possible things they cook.
I learned this from my MIL and my kids prefer this to regular idli milagai podi as it’s more flavorful and nutritious. You can also check out my Poondu Milagai Podi that’s full of garlic flavor.
The only thing that you have to take care while making this chutney powder is not to dump all the ingredients in the mixie jar while grinding. As peanuts starts secreting oil sooner than the other ingredients while grinding, it is better if you follow the procedure exactly to get a fine, lump free chutney powder.
The members of my family don’t like asafetida in idli powder, so I avoided adding it. But do add it by all means if you are worried about digestion. Make sure you also adjust the quantity of the Dry chilies according to your spice tolerance level.
Our Favorite Video:
Apart from using it as just Idli powder, I also use this for making podi curries of potato and brinjal. If you happen to follow my Instagram feed, you can see it for yourself. Sprinkle a dash of this powder on dry curries to make it even more flavorful.

Curry Leaf and Peanut Idli Milagai Podi Recipe
Ingredients
- Urad dal – 1/2 cup
- Chana dal – 1/2 cup
- Tur dal – 1/3 cup
- Whole dry red chilies – 20-30
- Whole Black Pepper Corns - 3 tbsp
- Coriander seeds – 1/4 cup
- Curry leaf - 1 cup packed
- Roasted Peanuts - 1/3 cup
- Asafetida – 1/4 tsp optional
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 3 tsp
Instructions
- Heat a pan and dry roast urad dal, chana dal and tur dal separately till golden brown and keep aside to cool. Roast over low flame to avoid the dals from getting burnt.
- Heat a tsp of oil in the same pan and roast whole dry red chilies till it changes color and transfer to another plate. Add another tsp of oil and first roast whole black pepper corns and drain onto the same plate.
- Add coriander seeds to the same pan and roast till aroma arises and the color changes slightly and keep aside.
- Add curry leaf and sauté over low flame till the moisture completely evaporates and changes color. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil and roast till crisp and keep aside.
- In the dry mixer grinder jar, first add all the dals and grind till coarse.
- Add roasted coriander seeds, dry red chilies, pepper corns, peanuts and grind till coarse.
- Add the roasted curry leaves, salt and asafetida (if using) and grind to a fine powder.
- Remove the idli powder on to a plate and let it cool down completely.
- Transfer to a dry jar and use a dry spoon to serve.
- While serving mix a tsp of idli powder with gingelly oil and serve with hot idlis or dosas.

Finally i get the time to sit down and write a comment. I love peanut in my idli podi and we call this version as chutney podi. Only it has coconut and no curry leaves in it. Gorgeous color radhi and fluffy idlies on the plate too
Wow! Nice recipe and beautiful clicks Radhika
Hi there, you forgot to include the roasting of peanuts in your instructions. I’m trying your recipe as we speak! So far, from all the roasting, it smells delicious!
Hi, I used roasted peanuts in the recipe and also mentioned it, so skipped roasting it again. Hope you like it.
This recipe is new to me will try peanut with curry leaf n tell u . is it required to add toor dal fried as my hubby never likes this flavour roasted??can we use dahlia pottu kadalai instead.
If you do not like chana dal in a idli podi then you can use pottu kadalai as you mentioned or you can use equal quantity of chana dal and urad dal too.
Myself making it for the 3rd tym now….me & my fam loved it! Am not a idli podi craze but this podi made me to dig in 2 more idlies!! Thank you so much for the recipe dear!! Hugs!!
thank you for trying Meena and for sharing your lovely feedback also.