A South Indian pantry is incomplete without Milagai Podi. This condiment’s name literally translates to chili (milagai) powder (podi) and the spicy taste has also led to its nickname – Gunpowder. However, it is not just plain chili powder but a roasted blend of pulses, sesame seeds, and dry red chili. Depending on where you travel in south India, you are sure to find a podi that represents the cuisine of that place – e.g. with garlic in Chettinad, with coconut in Palakkad, and so on. This powder can be mixed with ghee, til (sesame) oil or yogurt to pair with Idlis and Dosas which are staple breakfast items in South India. Many years ago, when refrigerators were not common, Milagai Podi combined with ghee and coated on idlis and dosas kept them from becoming hard during long distance travel as opposed to traditional pairings such as sambars and wet chutneys that have shorter shelf lives in warm conditions. It is fascinating to see how a recipe comes into being only because of the climatic conditions of a place. This age-old powder has become the go-to accompaniment for those rush hour meals when one is short of time to make an elaborate sambar or chutney. Let’s get to blending…

WHAT YOU WILL NEED for MILAGAI PODI

Ingredients

Note: 1 cup = 235 ml

1. 200 gms or 1 cup split Bengal gram (chana dal)
2. 200 gms or 1 cup split black gram  (urad dal)
3. 1 Tbsp. white/black sesame
4. 25 dry red chillies
5. 1 Tbsp. jaggery
6. ¼ tsp. asafoetida
7. Salt to taste (1 tsp. salt)

Kitchen tools

1. 1 medium size flat bottom pan
2. 1 medium size bowl for cooling
3. 1 regular blender jar

PREPARATION – MILAGAI PODI (with step-by-step photos)

Step 1  – Place a flat bottom pan on medium heat for about 1 minute and add 1 cup or 200 grams split Bengal gram until it starts to give out its aroma and the color turns light brown. This will take about 3 minutes. Move it a medium size mixing bowl to cool down

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Step 2  – Now roast 1 cup or 200 grams of split black gram for about 2 minutes until it changes color and move it to the bowl with roasted Bengal gram

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Step 3  – Repeat the same with 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds for half a minute until it starts to crackle and move it to the bowl with the other roasted ingredients

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Step 4  – Roast 25 dry red chillies for less than a minute or until it’s evenly heated up and fragrant. Transfer it quickly to the bowl with the other roasted ingredients 

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Make sure the chilies do not overheat or else the capsaicin would send you into coughing fits

Step 5  – Allow this to cool down for about 15 minutes

Step 6  – Place the cooled ingredients in the blender and grind it to a coarse powder

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Step 7  – Add 1 Tbsp. jaggery, ¼ tsp. asafoetida, and salt to taste (1 tsp. salt), give it a pulse and allow it to cool 

Step 8  – Store it in an air-tight container and use this sublime milagai podi a.k.a gunpowder to create South Indian magic and beyond 😋

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I grew up calling this condiment as a dosa/idli milagai podi like many of you. It was not until I was 20-something that I came to know that this was also popularly known as gunpowder. Gunpowder is a low explosive, and if you have tasted this chutney powder before you are certain to agree with me that this spice mix explodes with a variety of flavors in your tongue. Each house has its own ancestral recipe owing to the set of ingredients, proportions and methods that caters to a specific palate – with or without coconut, with or without sesame seeds, with or without garlic, with or without horse gram, dry or oil roasted, stone ground or blended in an electric blender, and so on. A morsel of bland idli and dosa when dipped into this milagai podi mixture is elevated to a flavorful delight leaving you wanting for more. And how do we eat this you might ask? Here’s how…place a spoonful of milagai podi on your plate. Use your index finger to make a small well in the center of the pile. Carefully drizzle some sesame oil or ghee into the well and mix the podi in the oil…ta-da! You’re ready to relish your sublime Gunpowder with Idli, Dosa, and even funkier dishes – Gunpowder Delicata Squash anyone?

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