Kothamalli Podi / Spiced Cilantro Powder ~ Day 149

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Preparation time: 10 minutes + drying time

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Yields:  1 to 1 and 1/2 cups

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Ingredients:

• Fresh kothamalli / Cilantro - 3 cups, separated from the stem
• Whole white urad dal - 1/2 cup
• Chana dal - 1/4 cup
• Dried red chilies - 8 to 10 or to taste
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind - a small marble sized
• Sesame oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash the cilantro leaves thoroughly and drain the water completely.  I used the salad spinner to remove excess water.  Once drained, spread the cilantro on a clean kitchen towel and let it dry for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.  The leaves should be completely dry to the touch.  Collect the leaves and set aside.
2. Roast the dals, red chilies, and tamarind in a cast iron skillet, with 2 tsp oil, on a low flame,  until golden brown.  Remove from the heat and mix in the asafoetida.  Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool completely.  In the same skillet, saute the coriander leaves for 2 minutes.  Let it cool.
3. Grind the roasted ingredients in a blender along with salt to a coarse powder.  Add the dried cilantro leaves and pulse until well blended.  Cool completely.  Store in an airtight container. 
4. To serve:  Mix with steamed rice topped with ghee or sesame oil.

Vazhaikkai Podi / Spicy Plantain Powder Mix

Some of the traditional recipes calls for a very few ingredients and they are very easy to prepare. Vazhaikai / Plantain podi / powder is one such traditional and rare recipe prepared in tambram households.  I remember my mom used to roast the plantains in a charcoal barbecue stove called Kumiti back in India.  This powder tastes heavenly when mixed with hot steamed rice along with mor kuzhambu as a side dish.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yields: 2 cups

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Ingredients:

Plantain / Vazhaikkai / Raw banana - 3

Toor dal - 2 tbsp

Urad dal - 2 tbsp

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Red chillies - 4

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 4

Sesame oil - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Rub plantains with 1 tsp of oil.
2. Roast the plantains on open flame until it turns black and soft on all the sides.  Alternatively you can also broil the plantains in an oven until soft.  Allow it to cool and peel.  Crumble the plantain.
3. Roast toor dal, urad dal, chana dal and red chillies in a skillet with 1 tsp oil till golden brown. Remove from heat. Roast the curry leaves and asafoetida while the skillet is still hot. Let it cool completely.
4. Place the roasted dals in a blender and grind to a coarse powder.  Add the crumbled plantain and salt.
5. Pulse until combined.
6. To serve:  Mix the powder in steamed rice with a dollop of ghee or sesame oil.  

Paruppu Podi / Spiced Lentil Powder

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1 cup
Horse Gram dal  / Kollu / Ulavu / Kulthi - 1/2 cup
Roasted Chana dal (chutney dal) / Dalia - 1/2 cup
Whole Black Pepper - 2 tsp
Red chillies - 10 or to taste
Ajwain / Omam  - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - 10
Salt - to taste

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients except roasted channa dal and salt, until they turn to golden brown.  Just before you take it out, add the roasted channa dal and roast it for a minute.  Let it cool completely.  Grind the cooled ingredients with salt to a fine powder.  Store in a airtight container.

Serving suggestion:  Mix it with hot rice along with dash of ghee or sesame oil.