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Milagai podi or Indian gunpowder on a plate with ghee. A brown hand is mixing the podi with the ghee to mix them together into a condiment.In the background there is a bowl and spoon with more podi.

5 Ingredient Milagai Podi for Idli and Dosa (Indian Gunpowder)

Milagai podi, also known as Indian gunpowder, is a fiery spice blend that is mixed together with ghee to create the perfect chili oil condiment to dip idlis and dosas in. This version has five main ingredients of urad dal, chana dal, dried red chilis, asafetida, and curry leaves to create a nutty and spicy podi!
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Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Condiment
Servings 0.5 cup
Calories 293 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 7-10 (7-10 g) whole dried red guntur or chili de arbol stems removed (use less for less spice)
  • 20 (3 g) curry leaves
  • ¼ cup (54 g) split urad dal hulled
  • 2 tablespoons (31 g) chana dal split/hulled
  • 1 teaspoon asafetida
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions
 

  1. Note: This recipe is all about toasting different spices and lentils of varying thickness. The rule of thumb is that the thinner or more delicate spices are toasted for a shorter period of time and the thicker lentils are toasted for a longer period of time. It is important to really take the time to get a nice toast on each ingredient to really get a deep and nutty taste!
    5 ingredients needed to make milagai podi or Indian gun powder. Pictured are bowls of curry leaves, chana dal, split and hulled urad dal, dried red Indian chilis, and asafoetida.
  2. In a medium pan, on medium-low heat dry roast 7-10 whole dried red guntur or chili de arbol. Constantly move the chilis so they don't burn. You are looking for the chilis to dry further and warm enough to release their essential oils. This should take ~3-4 minutes. Remove the chilis from heat and allow to cool in a small bowl. A good indicator that the chilis were toasted properly is that they will snap when broken in half. If they are soft when you bend the chilis, that is an indicator that they need to be toasted longer.
    Dried Indian red chilis toasting on a skillet
  3. Add the 20 curry leaves to the pan and toast until the curry leaves dry and crisp. It should be fairly quick and take between 1-2 minutes if that. The curry leaves should be crunchy and brittle when cooled. Transfer the curry leaves to a separate small bowl from the chilis.
    Curry leaves dry roasting on a skillet until dried out.
  4. Turn up the heat to medium. Add ¼ cup split urad dal and dry roast until the urad dal gets golden. It should take ~4-5 minutes for this to happen. Transfer the urad dal to the bowl with the curry leaves.
    Picture of a pan with split urad dal that has been dry roasted and golden
  5. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons chana dal to the medium pan and dry roast until the chana dal is golden brown. Turn off the heat. Be patient as the chana dal is thicker and will take 5-6 minutes to really toast and turn golden brown. Transfer the chana dal to the same bowl as the urad dal.
    A hand holding two piece of chana dal. The left is an untoasted chana dal that is pale and a bit bigger. The right is a golden piece that is toasted and a bit smaller.
  6. Allow all the spices to cool for 5-10 minutes. This is important as warm spices will create condensation when ground and therefore reduce the shelf life of the milagai podi.
  7. In a spice grinder, first add the dried chilis. It helps to snap the chilis into smaller pieces to help the grinder blend. If the grinder is too full, grind the chilis in batches to ensure there is enough space in the grinder. Grind the dried chilis until they are a fine powder. Try to get the chilis as fine as your grinder will allow. Tap the spice grinder lid to push the spices into the grinder when opening it, to prevent powder from flying around and being wasted. When opening the spice grinder, do not directly smell the powder as the chilis can irritate your nose. Empty the chili powder back into the small bowl.
  8. Add the toasted and cooled chana dal, urad dal, and curry leaves into the spice grinder. You may need to grind these ingredients in batches depending on the capacity of your spice grinder. Pulse the grinder to get a coarse powder that has pieces that are not fine but not too big that it would hurt to bite through. The coarse bits of urad dal and chana dal add a crunchy element to the podi that makes it taste so delicious.
    A spice grinder with coarsely ground urad dal and chana dal for milagai podi.
  9. Mix together the fine chili powder, coarse dal and curry leaf powder, 1 teaspoon asafetida, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt. The milagai podi is now ready.
    A bowl in the top right of the picture with finely ground chili powder. The bowl on the bottom with coarsely ground urad dal and chana dal.
  10. When tasting the milagai podi, do not eat on its on as it is very spicy. Milagai podi is best eaten when mixed with warmed ghee to create a condiment to dip idlis and dosas into. The ghee helps temper the milagai podi and add a buttery/nutty element to balance the heat. This podi is also a great seasoning to add on top of crunchy roasted potatoes!
    Milagai podi mixed with ghee is in the forefront. In the background, there is a plate with dry podi and a hand pouring ghee onto the plate. There is also a wooden bowl filled with more milagai podi aka Indian gunpowder.
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Notes and Tips

  • Be careful not to burn spices or else it will impart a bitter taste in the final podi.
  • Podi can be stored in an airtight container. It is best to use it within six months of grinding for the best flavor.
  • Grind the chilis in a fine texture and the dals in a coarse texture. The coarseness of dal in the final product adds crunch to the milagai podi.
  • The milagai podi is meant to be mixed with ghee or oil. It then can be used to dip idlis or dosas into.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 18gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 585mgPotassium: 472mgFiber: 23gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 780IUVitamin C: 403mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 5mg
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