Molagai Podi, is a well known powder from Tamil Nadu. Unlike other powders, its not a masala powder and is served along with idlis and dosas. It is prepared from common kitchen ingredients and lasts for months without adding any kind of preservatives. Whenever you are running out of time for making a side dish like chutney or sambhar for idli or dosa, this always comes as a substitute without much compromises.

Molagai Podi always is a necessary thing in my kitchen since I find it extremely useful when am running out of time and have a sudden unexpected guest at door. These days ready made powders are easily available in the market and also it comes with varieties such as a person might not like it too spicy, so they can opt for a sweeter one where a little amount of jaggery is added while grinding the powder which reduces the spiceness of the molagai podi.

I have seen different forms of podis in the market. Podi means powder, its a tamil word. The podis comes with the name as idli podi, dosai podi etc. But there is nothing to be much confussed about this. The ingredients are almost same but with little variation.

I always make it a point to prepare the molagai podi in a way which would go good with both dosas and idlis of all varieties and also that it is as per taste and needs of everyone. That makes my work easier. I am posting the way i prepare the molagai podi and i have seen that many people too prepare this the same way. So here goes the spicy and tasty molagai podi recipe.



Ingredients:
Dry Red chillies - 100 grams
Urad Dal- 150 grams
Sesame seeds - 50 grams
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 1 -2 tsp.



Method:

1. Take a deep heavy bottomed pan and add little oil to it. Keep it on low flame and roast urad dal oil. Roast it till you get a frangrance and the dal turns little rose in colour (dont allow it to turn brown).
2. Remove it a plate and allow it to cool.
3. Now in the same pan , roast the sesame seeds again in low flame till it changes its colour to light rose. Remove it in a plate and allow to cool.
4. Now roast the red chillies in the same pan for few seconds. Dont fry it till it turns brown. Once the wetness of the chillies is gone, remove it in a plate and allow to cool.
5. Once the ingredients are cooled, take them in a big mixer jar. Add salt as per taste and 2 pinches of asafoetida to it and grind it to a fine or coarse powder as per choice.
6. Remove the powder and store it in a air tight container or jar.
7. While serving add some gingelly oil (nallanai) , vegetabe oil or ghee and mix well. Then serve it with dosa or idlis.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Making Time: 20 minutes
Serves: This amounts makes a small jar which goes for around 50-60 times .
Shelflife: 6-8 months and even a year.
Serving Suggestion: While serving. add a spoon of podi in a plate or bowl. Then add some gingelly oil (nallanai), vegetable oil, sunflower oil or ghee . Mix well and serve with dosa or idlis.


Note:

• As a variation, You can add chana dal to this podi. Take about 50 grams of chana dal and roast it with little oil till it turns to light pink. Allow it to cool and grind it along the rest of the ingredients. It is a variation of podi .
• Some curry leaves too can be added to this podi. Just roast them the way red chillies are roasted and grind together with other ingredients. But however, i never include the curry leaves since i dont like the taste the podi gives when curry leaves are added.
• For those who dont want spicy taste, Just add tiny piece of jaggery while grinding the podi. This will give a wet look to the podi and also it mositens up with passing days. So i suggest avoid using jaggery. This podi is not the that spicy and can be easily chewed by anyone.
• You could even dry roast everything but, it will hit your throat really hard since it will get very dry. But note that you dont over roast them.
  
• So of you add some oil, it will become moist and also have that glowing red color.
  

I have already posted some of the recipes in my blog, this podi can be tried with them. Just click on the names for the recipes.
Adai.
Sada dosa.
Set Dosa.
Uttapa.
Idli.

Click here to know all about Tamil Nadu cuisines- Introduction To Tamil Nadu Cuisines And Recipes.

Zarda is a popular south Asian cuisine known especiallt for its sweet and yummy taste.
This is the popular sweet brown rice recipe which is generally known as Zarda in South Asian cuisine. It is prepared on many traditional occassions and use of attractive food colors makes it looks very delightful and attractive. The main ingredient of this recipe is brown rice which is very healthy for everyone. Use of other kind of rice will not produce good result as other rice become soggy/very soft when used for making zarda.
There are places where brown rice is not available , hence brown rice can be substituted with Basmati rice of one's choice instead. The most fascinating factor of Zarda is its orange colour which gives the food a rich look and delight to the eyes of the foodie.



Ingredients:
1 kg Brown rice
1.25 kg sugar
250 gm desi ghee
3-4 cloves
5 green cardamoms
3-4 cinnamon sticks
1/2 kg boiled milk
3 tbsps pistachio for garnishing
2 tbsps almond for garnishing
2 tbsps raisins for garnishing
1 pinch orange food color
4-5 Saffron stands
1 tspn Lemon juice
1/4 cup FreshOrange Juice (Optional).


Method:

1. Boil water to cook brown rice and add orange food color in the water. Put rice in the and let it cook for 5-8 mins when rice boil drain all the extra water.
2. Cook the rice till three-fourth done. Drain.
3. Pour lemon juice over the rice and then wash again with cold water so that the rice grains remain separate.
4. In a pan, put ghee and fry cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, when they turn brown and smell starts to come add sugar and milk. Always put sugar first otherwise by putting milk in heated oil/ghee it will beocme danger for you to handle because drops of milk quickly scattered and may damage your face.
5. Now make syrup of milk and sugar by constant stirring otherwise sugar will stick in the pan. Add saffron strands and stir.
   
6. When all the sugar has been dissolved and white foams appear on the surface of the syrup (it will take at least 15 mins.) add boiled rice in it and mix well.
7. Cook on medium flame until all the liquid dry and rice absorb all the syrup.
8. Stir in the raisins and chopped nuts. Place a tawa underneath the vessel and cook over low heat till all the water is absorbed.
   
9. Serve hot or cold.
   

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves : 4 persons
Shelflife: Best fresh
Serving Suggestion: Serve the delicious sweet brown rice / zarda by garnishing crushed pistachio, almonds and raisons on top. Small pieces of gulab jamun also serve with it.


Note:
You can also use original saffron in this recipe instead of food color and if you sprinkle some khoya on the top it will become more delicious.



Click here to learn more about Uttarpradesh Foods and cuisines : An Introduction To Uttarpradesh Foods and Cuisines.


Click here to learn more about Indian sweets and Desserts: An Introduction To Indian Sweets And Desserts.