Masalas · Andhra Pradesh

Kandi Podi (Andhra Gunpowder)

Andhra's beloved gunpowder of roasted toor dal, chana dal, red chillies and garlic, mixed into hot rice with a generous spoon of ghee.

Prep 5 min · Cook 15 min · Total 20 min + 20 min cooling · Serves 60

Ingredients

Podi

• ½ cup Toor dal (kandi pappu)
• ¼ cup Chana dal (senaga pappu)
• 2 tbsp Moong dal (pesara pappu)
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 12 Guntur dried red chillies
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida

Method

1. Roast the dals. Dry roast the toor dal in a heavy pan over low to medium heat, stirring, until it turns golden and smells nutty. Add the chana dal and moong dal and keep roasting until all three are evenly golden and a grain snaps cleanly between your teeth. Tip onto a plate.
2. Roast the cumin and chillies. Roast the cumin for 30 seconds, then add the oil and red chillies and roast until the chillies are crisp. Add the curry leaves and fry until they crumble.
3. Roast the garlic. Lightly crush the garlic with its skin and roast in the hot pan until dry and golden at the edges. Turn off the heat and stir in the asafoetida.
4. Cool. Spread everything out and cool completely. The dals must be cold and crisp or the podi turns pasty.
5. Grind and sieve. Grind the chillies and salt first, then add the dals, cumin and curry leaves and grind to a slightly coarse powder, like fine semolina. Add the garlic last and pulse just a few times. Sieve only if you want it fine; kandi podi is meant to be a little grainy.
6. Store. Keep in an airtight jar with a dry spoon. Because of the garlic it is best within 1 month at room temperature, or up to 3 months in the fridge.

Tips

Mix 1 to 2 tsp into a plate of steaming rice with a spoon of ghee and eat with appadams or a dollop of avakaya. It is also the classic podi for idli and dosa, mixed with sesame oil, and lovely sprinkled over Bendakaya Vepudu.