Idli Milagai Podi is a South Indian Condiment which is basically a spice powder made of lentils, red chillies and other whole spices. It is served as a side dish with idli, dosa, oothappam and paniyarams along with chutneys and sambar.
Idli milagai podi is also called idli podi or chutney pudi or gunpowder across India depending on the region they are made.
Idli milagai podi mixed with gingelly oil smeared all over the idlis, which is packed in banana leaves, is still the best travel food to pack for when travelling long distances.
They don't spill or ooze out creating a mess, which makes it the best food to pack, period.
Table of Contents:
About Idli Milagai Podi
This spice powder is made fresh and can be stored for a period of time, making it safe to take it on travels.
Idli milagai powder is made by dry roasting the dals and roasting the spices in oil and then powdering them in a mixer jar along with salt.
No matter how many types of chutneys you have while eating idlis, this idli podi is still preferred as an add-on side dish.
Every region and every household therein has their own version of making the idli podi. It differs with the ingredients, the quantities and even the roasting process.
Ingredients
Lentils or Dals: I have used urad dal (ulutham paruppu), chana dal (kadalai paruppu) and tur dal (thuvaram paruppu) that forms the base of idli milagai podi.
Red chillies: These add the spice component for the idli milagai podi. I have used both regular long whole dry red chillies and kashmiri red chillies.
Whole spices: Apart from the red chillies, I have used black peppercorns and coriander seeds that add the aroma and the sharp heat that is required for the idli podi.
Other ingredients: salt to taste and oil to roast.
Please refer to the recipe card for the correct measurement of ingredients.
How to make Idli Milagai Podi
1. Dry roast urad dal, chana dal and tur dal separately till they are golden brown and transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add oil to the pan and roast the red chillies till they change colour slightly and transfer to a plate.
3. Roast black peppercorns till they are about to pop and transfer to the same plate.
4. Roast coriander seeds till they are aromatic and transfer to the same plate.
5. Transfer the ingredients roasted in oil to the mixie jar and grind to a coarse powder.
6. Add the roasted dals and salt to the mixie jar. Grind to a coarse powder.
Store the idli milagai podi in an air-tight jar and use it when required.
Recipe Notes
You need to keep the dry roasted ingredients and the ingredients roasted in the oil separately.
It would be best if you had the patience to roast the dals and the other ingredients to golden perfection.
Take care not to hurry up the process and burn the ingredients, as otherwise, the idli podi will taste bitter and rancid.
The texture of the idli milagai podi depends on your preference. You can either grind it coarse or fine, depending on your choice.
Nutrition Profile
This recipe is
- Dairy-Free
- Diabetic-Friendly
- Egg-Free
- Gluten-Free
- High Fibre
- High Protein
- Low Calorie
- Low Carb
- Nut Free
- Soy-Free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Top Tip
To get a good colour and to prevent the idli milagai podi from becoming dark while grinding, let the ingredients cool down completely to room temperature before grinding.
Variations
There are a lot of variations that you can implement while making the idli milagai podi.
To make it spicier, by adding in more red chillies and to make it less spicy, either reduce the red chillies or replace them with Kashmiri red chillies as they are less spicy by nature.
You can add a fistful of curry leaves, ¼ cup of groundnuts and also 1 tablespoon of black or white sesame seeds (Ellu in Tamil) after roasting them in little oil.
Shelf Life
This version of idli milagai podi stays well for 2 to 3 months. In case, if you are going to use peanuts or sesame seeds, then you need to use them within 15 or 20 days. Both the peanuts and sesame seeds give a rancid taste and smell when ground.
Storage
You can store the idli milagai podi either in glass bottles or a food-grade plastic jar. Always keep it dry by using a dry spoon while taking the powder from the container.
FAQs
The spice powder is healthy and even when you add gingelly oil to mix the podi, it would still be healthy if you use cold pressed gingelly oil. You can also use melted ghee in place of oil.
I sprinkle it on cucumber roundels and eat them to get a spicy kick. I sometimes use the idli podi in place of sundal podi while making sundal.
More Idli Podi Recipes
More Spice Powders
See more Spice Powders
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Recipe
Idli Milagai Podi - Idli Podi - Chutney Powder
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole urad dal or black gram without skin
- ½ cup chana dal or bengal gram
- ¼ cup tur dal or pigeon peas
- 25 to 30 long dry red chillies
- 7 to 10 kashmiri red chillies optional
- 2 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoon oil
- rock salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a kadai. Add urad dal and dry roast over medium-low flame till it turns golden brown. Transfer to a bowl.
- Next, add chana dal and dry roast till it turns golden brown and transfer to the same bowl.
- Add tur dal, dry roast till golden brown and transfer to the same bowl.
- Next, add 1 teaspoon oil to the kadai. Add long red chillies and kashmiri red chillies. Roast over low flame till they change colour slightly. Transfer to a plate.
- Add ½ teaspoon oil and black peppercorns to the kadai. Roast till they start to pop. Transfer to the plate with red chillies.
- Add ½ teaspoon oil and coriander seeds. Roast till they become aromatic and transfer to the plate. Let everything cool down to room temperature.
- Take a mixie jar, and first add the ingredients roasted in oil - dry red chillies, coriander seeds and black peppercorns. Grind to a coarse powder.
- Next add the roasted dals - urad dal, chana dal and tur dal. Add salt to taste and grind everything to a coarse or fine powder depending on your preference.
- Leave the mixie jar open for the powder to cool down to room temperature and to prevent any water droplets from falling into the jar.
- Transfer the idli milagai powder to an airtight bottle or container and serve this with idli or dosa.
How to serve
- To the serving plate, add 1 to 1-½ teaspoon of idli milagai podi. Make a well in the centre and add in 1 tablespoon of gingelly oil and mix well with your fingertips for both to combine well.
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