Dhaniya podi ( or kothamalli vidhai podi ) – a flavorful South Indian spiced powder made with coriander seeds, lentils and spices. An easy to make recipe, this podi goes great with idli, dosa or rice.
The best part of podi is that it is easy to make, healthy and keeps for days. So you have something in hand to serve as side dish for breakfast, when in a morning rush, or you can even serve it with rice for lunch.
One of the podis that I make regularly is sesame podi that is flavorful and aromatic.
If you love the distinct earthy and aromatic flavor of coriander seeds, then you will love this dhania podi.
What is Podi?
Podi basically refers to powder in Tamil language and is usually made with lentils and spices. There are a variety of podis or chutney powders that are made and stored in South Indian homes and served at meal times.
Dhaniya podi too is made with lentils and spices, with the addition of coriander seeds ( or dhaniya ), which gives it a distinct flavor.
Ingredients You Need to make Dhaniya Podi
You need only a few basic ingredients to make this coriander podi.
- Coriander seeds – Also called as sabut dhaniya in Hindi or kothamalli vidhai in Tamil. These are small and round seeds that are yellow-brown in color. They are aromatic, especially when roasted and have a slight citrus flavor. These seeds lend a distinct flavor to the podi.
- Lentils – Two types of lentils are used, which give a nutty texture to the podi.
- Urad dal – These are creamy, white-colored lentils and are basically black gram without skin. You can use either whole or split urad dal.
- Chana dal – is split chickpeas or bengal gram.
- Dry red chillies – The spiciness of the podi comes from dried red chillies. To make the podi more spicy, you can add 1 or 2 more chillies.
- Tamarind – Dry tamarind is used, which gives a slight tanginess to the podi. We roast the tamarind too, so that it can be ground easily along with the other spices.
- Asafoetida – Also called as hing or perungayam, it lends a nice flavor to the podi.
- Oil – either vegetable oil or sesame oil can be used for sauteing the lentils and chillies.
- Salt
Nutrition
Healthy ingredients are used in this coriander podi, which give us health benefits. Some of them are:
- Benefits of Coriander Seeds – Apart from the flavor they impart to dishes, coriander seeds have many health benefits. They are rich in vitamin C as well as dietary fiber. They are also a good source of iron.
- Benefits of Lentils – Both chana dal and urad dal are a great source of protein and iron.
How to make Dhaniya Podi Step by Step
Here are the step by step photos to make dhania podi.
- Firstly, dry roast coriander seeds in a pan or kadai on a medium flame till they turn aromatic and crisp and slightly change color. Then transfer the roasted coriander seeds to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat oil and add urad dal.
- Fry the urad dal on a medium flame. Keep stirring, so that the dal gets browned evenly. Once the urad dal slightly changes color, add the dry red chillies along with asafoetida.
- Continue frying till the urad dal turns golden brown and transfer the roasted ingredients to the plate.
- Now add chana dal to the pan.
- Fry the chana dal till it turns golden brown and transfer it to the plate.
- Then cut the tamarind into small pieces and add it to the pan. Fry till they turn crisp and remove from heat.
- Cool down all the roasted ingredients.
- Finally grind all the roasted ingredients along with salt to a slightly coarse powder or fine powder. Let the dhaniya podi cool down completely and then store it in an air-tight container.
How to Serve Dhaniya Podi
- Mix the podi with sesame oil or melted ghee to make a paste and serve it with idli, dosa or uttapam.
- You can even serve it for lunch, mixing the podi with hot rice and melted ghee.
Storage
- Once you grind the podi, let it cool down to room temperature. Then, store it in an air-tight container in a cool and dry place. It stays good for around 1 month. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the podi in an air-tight container.
- To keep the podi fresh, use only a dry spoon when serving it.
More Recipes
Here are a few more South Indian recipes that you can try.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dhaniya ( coriander seeds / kothamalli vidhai )
- 4 tbsp urad dal ( ulutham paruppu / whole or split black gram )
- 3 tbsp chana dal ( kadalai paruppu / bengal gram dal )
- 5 dry red chillies
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida ( hing )
- marble-sized tamarind
- 1/2 tsp oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add coriander seeds to a pan or kadai. Dry roast them on a medium flame till they turn aromatic and crisp and slightly change color. Then transfer the roasted coriander seeds to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat oil and add urad dal.
- Keep stirring and fry the urad dal on a medium flame. Once the urad dal slightly changes color, add the dry red chillies along with asafoetida.
- Fry till the urad dal turns golden brown and transfer the roasted ingredients to the plate.
- Now add chana dal to the pan.
- Fry the chana dal till it turns golden brown and transfer it to the plate.
- Then cut the tamarind into small pieces and add it to the pan. Fry till they turn crisp and remove from heat.
- Cool down all the roasted ingredients.
- Grind all the roasted ingredients along with salt to a fine powder. Let the dhaniya podi cool down completely and then store it in an air-tight container.
Notes
- When dry roasting the coriander seeds, make sure to keep stirring them so that they are evenly roasted and don’t burn. Similarly, keep stirring the dals also when roasting, so that they are evenly roasted.
- Store the prepared podi in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. Use only a clean, dry spoon for the podi.
- You can grind the ingredients to a fine powder or slightly coarse consistency, depending on your preference.
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