Karivepaku Andhra Podi – Spiced Curry Leaves Powder

This tangy and aromatic podi- powder is a age old recipe of andhra households which is served as a condiment with a spoonful of oil for breakfast with idli and dosa . It also tastes awesome when it is served with peppy hot steamed rice topped with a dash of ghee.
Aromatic, protein rich and nutritious, podis are not high in calories and can be stored for a few weeks in air tight containers.

This powder is an appetizer catagory. This is a good appetizer.People who recover from sickness, lose their taste,this is good to get back their taste. This is also good for the new moms.
 

Ingredients:
2 cups Curry leaves
1 levelled cup Coriander seeds
1/4 cup Urad dal
2 tbsp Chana dal
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
7-8 Red chillies
4-6 Byadige Red chillies
7-8 Garlic Pods
1 big amla sized Tamarind
Salt to taste(approx heaped 1 tbsp)
2 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Ghee



 


Method:

1.Clean and wash curry leaves and remove extra water and spread it on a dry cloth to let the leaves dry completely with out any water.Leave it for 2-3 hrs.




2.Heat 1/2 tsp oil in  kadai  and add the Bengal gram and urad dal and fry them on medium heat till they turn red. Don’t burn them. Keep tossing them around continuosly. Remove from pan and keep aside.

2 In the same pan add the cumin and coriander seeds and toss them on medium heat till they turn brown..approx 2-3 mts. Remove from pan and keep aside.Do not burn them but fry upto the maximum red color you can get without burning,this is the key to get good black color for the powder.

 3.Again heat 1/2 tsp oil and  red chillies and fry until crisp and remove it and keep it aside.

4 Heat 1/4 tsp oil and add dried curry leaves and fry until they are crisp and remove it and keep it aside. Turn off heat and cool all the roasted ingredients.




 5.  While the kadai(pan) is hot add tamarind and fry for half a minute and keep it aside.





6.   Once everything comes to room temperature grind fried chana dal,urad dal,red chillies,cumin seeds and coriander seeds to a coarse powder.

   7.Add fried curry leaves,salt and tamarind to it and grind again to a coarse powder.

  8 Add whole garlic pods(with skin) and run it in whipper mode now or run it just for 30 secs in the regular mode.The powder should be coarse not very fine.

   9.Heat ghee in the same pan and add the ground powder and fry for 1-2 mins until all the ghee is incorporated in to the powder.

   10 Once cool remove it and keep it in a air tight container.this stays fresh for long,approx 2 months.

11 Serve hot with white steamed rice and ghee.










 

 Note:
1.You can increase the quantity of curry leaves and it will add more flavor.
2.You can decrease or increase  the amount of red chillies if you wish.