Kollu Milagai Podi/Horse gram Spice Powder

How to make Kollu Milagai Podi / Horse gram Spice powder

                The Milagai Podi, aka the Chutney powder, is one of the items that is a must-have in a Tamil household. It is the savior of many individual's breakfast & dinner. If you have Idli/Dosa batter on hand & some Milagai podi - you have a meal! Short on time, to make other accompaniments for your tiffin ? - no worries. For a few of us, this is a must-have, side; even if you are served, an array of other Chutneys & Sambhars. This lip-smacking Milagai Podi, sure keeps you fuller, longer as it is made with an extra diabetic friendly lentil.

            Apparently, this legume took its name from its use as a staple food for horses and cattle (primarily fed to race horses, to control weight gain & provide energy). If the name sounds unappetizing to you, read on, for its exceptional nutrition profile. The low-profile, humble, Horse gram is considered the most protein-rich lentil found on the planet & one of the richest vegetarian sources of protein. They are high in iron, calcium, anti-oxidants & protein. Low in fat & lipids. It's slow digestible starch make it ideal for diabetics & people trying to control their weight. 

Ingredients: 

Kollu/Horse gram/Kulthi bean - 1 Cup

Ulunthu/Urad dal - 1/2 Cup

Dry Red chillies - 6 to 8 no:s

Copra powder/Dehydrated coconut flakes - 1/2 Cup

Asafoetida powder- 1/4 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 1 Tsp

Stove Top Method:

• Hand pick the horse gram for any impurities & dry roast it in a low-moderately hot pan until it starts popping and becomes crisp. Transfer to a plate/bowl.
• Add the Oil to the empty pan. When the oil is moderately hot, add the Urad dal and fry until it gets golden & crisp. Add the dry red chillies to it & saute until crisp; but do not let it darken(burn) in color.
• Finally add the Asafoetida/Hing and the dehydrated coconut flakes; give it a quick stir & turn off the heat.
• Once the roasted ingredients have cooled down, use a mixer/blender and powder the horse gram until it turns into fine granules. Transfer contents into a bowl.

• Next, make a fine powder of the second batch of ingredients. To this fine powder, add salt and the powdered horse gram & use the mixer to blend it together.

• Serve with sesame oil to go with Idli's, Dosa's  or steamed rice.

Sharing this healthy chutney powder from my recipe diary with my fellow bloggers at SriValli's  CCC# 27: Dec-Week 2.