Paruppu Podi / Paruppu Podi Recipe For Rice

Updated on July 24, 2015

For me apart from Rasam, paruppu podi and sutta appalam is the ultimate comfort food. This spice powder is a life and time saver and always comes to the rescue when you do not happen to have enough vegetables to cook and when you are hard pressed for time. Earlier, my mom used to make this for me but in the recent years I have started to make it by myself but still whenever she visits me this will be first thing she would pack.

Paruppu Podi

You’ll need:

• Roasted Gram dal / Pottu Kadalai – 1 cup
• Dry coconut flakes / grated Kopra – 1/4 cup (Refer below)
• Whole dry red chillies – 8 to 10
• Garlic – 5 pods
• Mustard seeds – 2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Asafetida – 1 pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadai. Add the red chillies and roast for a few seconds taking care not to let it burn and change its color. Drain and keep it on a plate. To the remaining oil add the garlic pods. Sauté till they change color slightly, drain and add it to the roasted chillies.

To the same kadai add the remaining oil. When hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add asafetida and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds and take off stove and keep the tempering aside.

In a mixie jar, add the roasted whole red chillies, roasted gram dal, salt and grind to a powder. Transfer this powder to the bowl. In the same jar now add sautéed garlic pods, grated kopra and grind it together. Transfer to the bowl, add the tempering to these powders and mix well together. Check salt and transfer to a dry and clean bottle. This powder will keep well for 20-25 days.

While serving add this the required amount of powder to hot steaming rice, add a dash of ghee, mix well and enjoy with pappads or with this yummy spicy Potato Roast.

How to make Kopra / Dry coconut powder from fresh coconut:

Grate fresh coconut evenly. Spread this on stainless steel plate or freezer proof plate. Keep the plate in the freezer for 2-4 days till the moisture in the grated coconut leaves completely. Do not use a zip lock bag. We want the moisture to be gone and do not want the coconut to remain fresh.

Transfer this to a clean dry bottle and store the bottle in the fridge shelf itself. Use as required, either as it is or powder it further in a mixie. This should again keep well for 20-25 days.