Gun powder ( Molaga Podi in Tamil)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup white sesame seeds ( til)
1/2 cup Bengal gram dal ( Chana dal)
1/2 cup black gram dal (Dhuli Urad dal)
2 cups dry red chillies( sookhi sabut mirch)
1/4 -1/2 tsf adafoetida( hing)
1/2 cup Dry coconut powder
1 small lemon sized ball of tamarind ( Imli) deseeded and broken into tiny pieces.
2 tbsf powdered jaggery ( shakkar)
Salt to taste
Method:
- Dry roast sesame with constant stirring till golden.
- Then add both dals and roast on medium heat, with constant stirring till golden brown. Add asafoetida. Add red chillies and roast , stirring constantly till crisp.
- Add coconut powder and stir for couple of minutes.
- Take the pan off the fire. When slightly cool , add the tamarind otherwise it melts due to the heat and makes the mixture too sticky to grind.
- When cool, grind in a dry grinder. The way my mom makes it, which I rate as the world's best , is coarse, not too fine.
- Add powdered jaggery and salt to taste. Serve with Idli, Dosa , Oothappam . You can also have it with plain boiled rice, topped with a dollop of ghee ( clarified butter) ... Simply divine. Slurp!!!
