Kariveppilai Podi --- Curry Leaf Podi

This is a very nice podi to have at all times. Comes in handy when you don't want to cook an elaborate meal, all you have to do is cook rice and mix this and eat it!

You can learn more about this leaf here.

My mom used to add some dry leaves in the coconut oil we used to apply for our hair, so there is all kinds of uses to this leaf.

If you make this wet, then it is called thuvayal (thogayal), but I make it dry so it can last longer...

You need

3 bunches of curry leaves (the mount you get in an indian store) all washed and dried

Dry red chillies - a handfu

Salt - 2 teaspoons

hing- 3/4 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1/4 cup
Optional

Sesame seed- half of 1/4th cup

Oil - 2 teaspoon

Method

---> If you are including the sesame seeds, then roast that first in a tawa until they start jumping around and keep aside and let cool on a big plate

---> Add the oil, and then the urad dal and when it starts to get a golden color, add the hing and red chillies and roast till you start coughing :) ...... take them out and let cool on the same plate you put the sesame seed

---> Now when the roasted stuff are all cool to touch, put them in the dry mixer and make a coarse powder and then add the curry leaves and salt and make a fine powder.......

---> Lasts for a long time in an airtight container unless you put a wet spoon in it.......

How to eat this.....

---->In hot rice, add a dab of ghee and mix the podi ferociously until all the rice is coated well and enjoy.....

(The amount of podi you mix differs with every person, if you like it spicy then add more and vice versa....)

--->I added mine in a salad and called it Kannare Pinnare Salad!! Read more about it in my next post!!! :)

---> Make a batch of small idlies and let cool. In a pan, add some oil. When it heats, add the mustard, let it sputter. Add some Chopped Green Chilies and  urad dal and some of this powder and hing. Toss the idlies in and mix well. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top if neccesary.

Thenga Podi (Coconut Powder (Mix) with rice)

Mina, my friend commented that tamilians make a lot of podi's (mixes), which is so true. We really do make these mixes and keep so that on the days there is nothing to eat, you can just make rice and eat the podi rice. You can even make this rice for your guests...

This is just one of those podi's...

The perfect combination for this thenga podi rice is " Sutta Arisi Applam" which means rice papad made on the stove, mmmm...

I ended up with two extra coconuts soon after Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations, and had this coconut grater that I bought in Apna Bazaar, in Seattle. My kids helped me in grating the coconuts...

This mix lasts long in the fridge, provided you handle it with care, (no wet spoons or wet hands)

You need

Grated Coconut - 3 Cups

Urad Dal - 1 ½ Cups

Dry Red Chillies - 1 ½ Cups (whole Chillies)

Tamarind - Small Lime Size

Salt - 3 Tbsp

Hing - 2 Tsp

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Method

--->The whole thing should be done on a medium flame.

--->In a Kadai, add the oil, roast the urad dal until it is light red in color, add the hing and the tamarind and roast until the urad dal is red in color.

--->Take out the roasted Urad Dal and pour on a plate to cool

--->Next in the same kadai, add the red chillies, roast it well, add little more oil if needed.

--->Take out the roasted chillies, on a plate to cool.

--->In the same kadai, add little oil and roast the grated coconut until it becomes rose in color.

Once everything is cool, put everything, and add salt to this and make a fine powder in your Indian Mixer Grinder.

Mix this powder, with hot rice and little Gingelly Oil, and to have the utimate effect, you should try it with the Rice papad!!