Curry Leaves Podi கறிவேப்பிலை பொடி

Curry Leaves Podi

கறிவேப்பிலை பொடி

Ingredients:

Curry leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை ) - few twigs

Dry red chili ( காய்ந்த மிளகாய்) - 3 

Black Urad Dhal ( தோள் உளுந்தம்பருப்பு) - 1 tbsp

Asafoetida ( பெருங்காயம்) - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind ( புளி ) - a small amount

Salt to taste ( தேவையான அளவு  உப்பு)

Remove the curry leaves from the stalk. Dry / roast the curry leaves in the oven for 1 minute. Turn the leaves and repeat for uniform drying. You can add the tamarind also together with the leaves to remove the moisture and make it suitable for the dry powder. 
Allow it to stand for a few minutes in the oven.
 Then crush the leaves to form coarse bits. This enables a uniform smooth powder while grinding.

In a pan, heat a little oil to roast the chilli followed by the urad dhal and asafoetida. 

Dry grind the roasted red chili, asafoetida and urad dhal. Then add the dry curry leaves, salt and dried tamarind. Grind to a powder. 

My Notes:
This podi /powder can be used as a side dish for idli or dosai and also mixed with hot steamed rice and ghee. A small amount of hot rice and a generous portion of this powder is very flavourful and with full benefits. No side dish is required for this mixed rice.

The difference in the colour of the powder. The one on the left is prepared from curry leaves roasted under fire in a pan. The right, retaining the green colour is roasted in an oven. The flavour and colour are retained this way. So I have switched from pan roasting the leaves to dry in the oven.