Idli Milagai Podi MTR Style |Spicy chutney powder for Idli Dosa

I am absolutely in love with southindian food since childhood.This love for south indian food has grown multifold after having stayed in BANGALORE and hyderabad which introduced me to many more south indian biryanis , chutneys , dosas ,thokkus and many more recipes ...

One such dish was idli milagai podi .about which I have already blogged ....Now todays recipe is of Mtr style Idli podi which is available in market .Recipe source is sharmis passion.I have followed her exact recipe without making any changes

Ingredients

Dry Red Chilli - 12
Urad Dhal - 1/2 cup(Splitted or whole) 
Hing(asafoetida) - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 10
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1.5 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter, Set aside. In the same pan add red chillies, curry leaves and roast till it turns crispy, keep it aside. Then add remaining 1 tsp oil and roast urad dhal till golden brown.Allow it to cool.
   
2. Then in a mixer - add roasted urad dhal, curry leaves , red chillies, required salt, hing and grind it to a semi coarse powder. Then add mustard seeds and pulse it once just to bring it together.
   
   
3. Spread the powder in a plate , once cooled down store it in an airtight container.Add ghee or sesame oil and serve with hot idlis.
   
   

How to roast groundnut (peanuts) in microwave?

Roasting your own peanuts is fun and easy especially when you have a microwave.

Peanuts or groundnuts ,also known as shengdana in marathi play an important role in maharshtrian cooking,especially during fasting or upvaas.

Roasted peanuts are deshelled and then are ground to a powder know as shengdana koot in marathi.Roasting your own peanuts is fun and easy especially when you have a microwave.

Peanuts or groundnuts ,also known as shengdana in marathi play an important role in maharashtrian cooking,especially during fasting or upvaas.

Roasted peanuts are deshelled and then are ground to a powder know as shengdana koot in marathi

 Roasted peanuts have a more intense flavor than raw peanuts and make ideal snacks for parties, seasonal events, and even for adding to some recipes. Follow these simple steps to roast your own peanuts at home. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Microwave

peanuts /groundnuts


Method:

1)Place  peanuts or groundnuts in a microwave safe bowl or flat baking tray or cookie sheet .take a dish which has a bigger circumference so that peanuts are spread wide across the dish and will get roasted evenly


2.Now select microwave at HIGH microwave power and place the bowl inside microwave.

3.Microwave on HIGH power for 3 minutes initially.after 3 minutes remove peanuts & stir upside down with spoon

4.Microwave again for another 2 minutes & remove dish .Now check the peanuts would have got roasted to a brown colour.If you want to roast them more than repeat process for another minute



5.Remove from the oven. If you haven't already remove the skin from the peanuts and you still wish to do so, use the following nifty trick. Place the roasted peanuts in a jar or container and shake them, or into a clean dish towel and rub them. Take the jar, container, or towel outside and open them up and blow away the loose skins.There may be some that still require you to remove the skins by hand but that's up to you.

Tips:

1.Time required for roasting will vary as per microwave model & company

2.After 4 minutes of roasting be careful in setting time in intervals of 1 minute or less as there are chances of peanuts getting burnt .

Garam masala recipe | Maharashtrian garam masala recipe

Garam masala is one common ingredient which you will find in Indian kitchens.

What is garam masala ? GARAM means hot & MASALA means spice blend into fine powder.
Various spices are dry roasted & then grinded to a fine powder & stored in an air tight container. Even a pinch of garam masala can bring an amazing taste to your dish.

Commonly used spices for garam masala are bayleaf (tej patta) ,star anise (badiyan),cloves(lavang) ,hari elaichi ( green cardamom),badi elaichi (black cardamom),cinamom (dalchini) ,black pepper ( kali miri), mace (javitri) ,red chilli(lal mirchi),caraway seeds (shahi jeera), cumin seeds (jeera) ,coriander seeds ( dhane),black lichen (dagad phool) etc.

The proportion & spices will differ as per region.

Every state or rather every household within the region of a state might have a different recipe of garam masala

Todays garam masala recipe is my moms & is a maharashtrian style of making garam masala .

Please check other varieties of garam masala here .



Ingredients

Dalchini(Cinnamon) - 250  gms
Black pepper -125 gms
Lavang - 125 gms
Star Anise - 4 to 5



Method:
1. Dry roast each spice separately on a tava.  keep stirring take care not to burn the spices
2. Cool them & grind to a fine powder in a mixer
3. Sieve and store in air tight container.


Tips
1.Make garam masala in small batches as it loses its fragrance after few months.
2.Dont add too much garam masala as it can spoil the taste of dish as it is very strong in flavour.
3.Always store in air tight container.
4.Normally add garam masala in the end of cooking to retain its flavour

Tirphal | Teppal or sichuan pepper

Teppal / Tirphul / Tirfal / Tirful / Tirphal - A rare Indian spice very hot in taste resembling a bigger version of black pepper.

Teppal (also called tirphal), an unique ingredient to Konkani cuisine .

know more about teppal /tirphal spice

Tirphal is a variety of Szechuan Peppercorn grown in and around Goa, India and in the rain forests of the West Coast of India in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Like Szechuan Peppercorns and indeed proper Peppercorns, it is a berry.

The berries are gathered from the wild in September and October, and dried in the sun until they split open. The seeds are removed and discarded.

The dried Tirphal berries (at this stage considered peppercorns) end up dark brown outside, whitish inside, and just somewhat larger than Szechuan Peppercorns. They are very fragrant, and have a sharp taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Which Cuisine Teppal Or Sichuan Pepper is used?

Teppal is mostly used in Konkani-Goan Cuisine. Tirphal is used in fish curries in Goa and along the West Coast of India, and in dishes with lentils, peas and beans The rusty-red peppercorns are one of the five spices of Chinese five spice powder. Sichuan Pepper is used a lot in Chinese Cuisine to make Sichuan Oil and Sichuan pepper sauce. Also some parts of Himalaya region in India teppal Or sichuan pepper is used. It’s also used in Manglorean, Chinese, Japanese and some Himalayan Cuisine.

Tirphal is used in fish curries in Goa and along the West Coast of India, and in dishes with lentils, peas and beans. This is mostly used in Fish preparations and a few vegetarian dishes, with a coconut masala.

This has a strong woody aroma, so it should not be ground with coconut (if it is ground by mistake, the dish gets a very strong and biting taste.  While using in gravy, these are slightly crushed in a table spoon of water and added to masala. At the time of eating, teppal is not consumed and discarded. 

Home made Biryani Masala powder recipe |How to make Biryani Masala Powder

Vow is the word that i use to describe this Homemade Biryani Masala Powder.ever since I started making this at home i have forgotten  readymade  biryani powder.


This Homemade Biryani Masala Powder can be used for preparing   hyderabadi dum biryanis and even for curries of your choice.It lasts for an year, if packed in separate containers in fridge  and handled with moist free spoons and hands.

But i prefer to make it in small quantities & consume it rather than making  in large quantity and store for longer duration.
 


It's a blend of whole spices lightly roasted and powdered. Used specifically for biryani's, the masala powder adds not only flavour but the faint aroma that's required in a perfect biryani.

The blend is similar to garam masala which means "hot spices". It is not spicy but can add pungency or over flavour a particular dish when not used in the right proportions.

Ingredients:

4 cinnamon sticks 1 inch (dalchini)
2 teaspoons cardamom pods (hirwi velchi)
4 black cardamom pods (badi elaichi)
2 teaspoons cloves (laung)
1 1/2 tsp shahijeera
1 nutmeg (jaiphal)
3 spears mace (Javithri / jaipathri)
 4 bayleaves (tamalpatra)
 2 teaspoons black peppercorns(kali miri)
 2 teaspoons fennel seeds (badishop-saunf)
 1 teaspoon saffron threads(kesar)
2 star anise ( badiyan - chakraphool)

Method:
1. dry roast above ingredients on a low heat till fragrant and crisp .

2.Transfer these ingredients into a mixer and grind to a smooth powder.sieve powder and store in an airtight jar.  sieve left over again  twice

 3.Store in an airtight container to retain its freshness.



 Try below biryani recipes 

masoor biryani
hyderabadi dum veg biryani
hyderabadi dum egg biryani
hyderabadi dum chicken biryani
mushroom biryani
tomato biryani 
Rajma biryani
hyderabadi dum baby potato biryani
Chole chickpeas biryani


Tips /variation
 
The basic use is to flavour succulent veg and non veg biryanis.

Combine with lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil and use as a marinade for meats, cottage cheese etc.

Instead of using nutmeg or cinnamon in carrot cakes or muffins, you can use a dash of this masala powder.

You can also replace this with garam masala in case you want to flavour curries.

Store in an air tight container away from moisture. Ensure that you don't use a wet spoon while using the powder.

To retain the aroma of the spice powders , make small packs of these using  freezer safe jars and freeze them. use them as required

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.

Vellulipaaya kaaram podi - andhra style |Garlic chilli spicy powder

Vellulipaaya or Velluli is a Telugu word Known as "Garlic" in English.I came across this recipe during my hyderabad stay.

This Vellulikaaram is often used at South India.Its simple & easy & can be made in a jiffy and also can be stored for a longtime.It can be eaten mixed with the plain steamed rice along with a ghee or can also be served for Tiffins & Snack items or as a side dish with idli or dosa .

Check out South Indian andhra  style Spice mix powder.Can be taken with idli/dosa. While serving, add a teaspoon of gingelly oil. I had served with kanchipuram idlis .


 

Ingredients :

1 cup red chilli powder

1/2 cup salt

5-6 garlic cloves with the peel on

1 tbsp jeera / cumin seeds

Method:

1. In a blender add red chilli powder, jeera / cumin seeds, salt and grind to fine powder.
2. Add the remaining ingredients i.e, garlic cloves with the peel and grind well.

    3. Do adjust salt and spice to taste.

     4. You can store this garlicky chilli spice powder for up to 2 weeks outside and couple of  months in refrigerator


Tips

•   Add garlic according to your taste .
•   No need to refrigerate the garlic chilly powder .
•   A good option to use  as a side dish with idli or dosa or steamed rice instead of   conventional  fresh coconut chutney or sambar 
•   Use Spicy Garlic  chilli powder with either  ghee or fresh lime juice for maximum   flavor.
• This powder mixed with little cooking oil can be used as stuffing for vegetable like bittergourd, Brinjal and Lady's finger.
• Add 10 curry leaves to above podi

How to make black pepper (kali miri) powder at home

Description

Black pepper comes from the pepper plant, a smooth woody vine that can grow up to 33 feet in hot and humid tropical climates. They begin to bear small white clustered flowers after 3 to 4 years and develop into berries known as peppercorns. Ground peppercorns produce the spice we call pepper. Black pepper, green pepper and white peppercorns are actually the same fruit (Piper nigrum); the difference in their color is a reflection of varying stages of development and processing methods.

To ensure best flavor, buy whole peppercorns and grind them yourself in a mill just before adding to a recipe. In addition to superior flavor, buying whole peppercorns will help to ensure that you are purchasing unadulterated pepper since ground pepper is oftentimes mixed with other spices. Whole peppercorns should be heavy, compact and free of any blemishes.

Ingredients:

 Black Pepper /Kali Mirch / kali miri- 250 gms /500 gms

Method:

1.Clean pepper & remove any traces of stones or impurities.

 

 



2. Spread pepper in hot sun for an hour and dry roast it just for a few mins. Grind in a dry grinder till it becomes fine powder.

 3.Store it in air tight container/ air tight bottle.

Health benefits

· Black pepper stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion.

· Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of iron and vitamin K, and a good source of dietary fiber

· Black pepper has long been recognized as a carminitive, (a substance that helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas), a property likely due to its beneficial effect of stimulating hydrochloric acid production. In addition, black pepper has diaphoretic (promotes sweating), and diuretic (promotes urination) properties.

· Black pepper has demonstrated impressive antioxidant properties.

Home made chole masala powder recipe | punjabi Chana Masala Powder Recipe |how to make cholay masala powder at home

   Today I am going to post recipe for home made chole masala powder .My advice try it    once   & u will forget the store bought masalas. 

Last week I made punjabi chole again in my kitchen but this time with home made chole masala /Chana masala along with tandoori roti  .

I enjoyed the taste of this Chole masala with freshly ground masala which makes it really delicious.

Truly I felt the  magic of freshly ground spices which  add a  magical touch to your chana masala rather than store bought chana masala & the end resukt is mouth watering yummy aromatic chole masala.Nothing beats the aroma and fresh flavour of homemade spices.

Channa Masala enhances the taste of Chole Recipe. You can easily find Channa Masala at the grocery stores in your locality, but you can try making at home only.Home made Chana Masala Powder obviously makes the recipe more tempting and tasty than market available masala.


 Ingredients :

4-5 black cardamoms

1 inch cinnamon

1 tsp  peppercorns

4 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 and half tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

3 tsp coriander seeds (dhania)

1 and half tsp fennel seeds (saunf)

1 tsp anardana pomegrante seeds

3 red chillies

Method :

1.Dry roast all the spices mentioned above till brown. Don't burn them.
2.On a slow or moderate flame you can roast the spices. Keep on tossing it otherwise they may get burnt. Let them cool down for a while.
3.Mix all the masala well in a plate and put them in a grinder. Grind all the masala well in a grinder into powdered form. Chana Masala powder is ready.
4.Store the masala in an air-tight container and use whenever you make Chole or Channa recipe at home.

How to make tea masala(Chahacha -chai ka masala)at home|gujarati style

A cup of tea is one of the inegral part of our mornings .Isnt it ? We start our day with a cup of tea......Why not spice morning tea adding a spoon of tea masala ( chahacha masala / chai ka masala)

By itself, chai or cha or chaha (in marathi) is merely the generic word for "tea" in many European and Asian languages. The widespread form chai comes from Persian چای chay.However, for many English speakers who refer to ordinary tea as "tea", the word "chai" has come to imply "masala chai". Masala chai (literally "mixed-spice tea") is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs.Chai is also a popular item in restaurants known as Irani cafés.

The simplest traditional method of preparing masala chai is to actively simmer or boil a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners, and whole spices.The method may vary according to taste or local custom: example, some households may combine all of the ingredients together at the start, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately strain and serve; others may leave the mixture simmering for a longer amount of time, or begin by bringing the tea leaves to a boil and only add the spices toward the end (or vice-versa).A common Maharashtran practice for preparation of one cup of chai is to first combine one half cup of water with one half cup of milk in a pot over heat. Sugar may be added at this point or after. Ginger is then grated into the mixture followed by adding a "tea masala". There is no fixed recipe or preparation method for masala chai and many families have their own versions of the tea

Indian markets all over the world sell various brands of "chai masala", (Hindi चाय मसाला [chāy masālā], "tea spice") for this purpose, though many households blend their own.Although the ingredients may vary from region to region, "tea masala" typically consists of cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, ground cloves, ginger powder, and pepper powder.
Today I am mentioning my mausis recipe from the zeroxed copies of her treasured diaries .


Ingredients

1/4 cup cinnamon (dalchini) , cut into small pieces
8-10 cloves (laung / lavang)
1/4 cup black peppercorns (kalimirch)
1/4 cup cardamom (elaichi)
6 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
1/4 cupmace (javantri), broken into pieces
1/2 nutmeg (jaiphal), grated
1/4 cupdried ginger powder (soonth)




Method
1.Dry roast the cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, and black cardamom for 7 to 8 minutes. Cool completely.
2.Add the mace, nutmeg and ginger powder and grind to make a fine powder.
3.Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.
4.Use as required to make your spiced masala tea.

5 To make masala chai, add one cup of water , 3/4 cup of milk,1 teaspoon of chai ka masala in a medium saucepan,& let it boil. Once it boils add 2 tsp sugar & 1 tsp tea powder & let it boil all while stirring.

6. Reduce to simmer, and then continue stirring in intervals, for about 10 minutes. If you want a stronger flavor, simmer for longer. Strain your tea and enjoy with toast /biscuits.

Tips

1)Some people prefer way more milky tea than that and make equal proportions of water and milk. Some even use more milk than water. More milk leads to milder tea so choice is yours.

2) If you are tired of making tea masala powder at home here is a quick /short method for making masala chai.For making 2 two cups of tea.Bring the water, tea,milk sugar and 2 pieces each of cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, and black cardamom to a boil. Depending on preference and strength required determine the time for which you boil the tea. I prefer about 10 minutes. Strain and serve hot with Indian biscuits .

3) For an alternate recipe, consider adding star anise (badiyan/chakri phool) ,badishep (fennel seeds) and ginger.