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Ellu Podi for Idli, Dosa and Rice – Sesame Seed Lentil Powder

August 31, 2016 by Suguna Vinodh 25 Comments

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ellu-podi-recipe-powder

If you are a regular reader of Kannamma Cooks, you know about the legendary kola urandai that is a signature dish of neikarapatti amma. This ellu podi is another signature dish on the breakfast table at Neikarapatti. This is my brothers favorite. So throughout the year, whenever amma came to Coimbatore, this ellu podi would be packed in initialed stainless steel dabbas and left at my aunts place for my brother. Those days, all the dabbas / boxes were made of stainless steel or brass. It would have the initials of the lady of the house, carved on them. There would be so many dabbas coming and going from ones house. The initial would tell the identity of the dabba and it would be returned correctly. Then came the world of Tupperware and zip-locks. Aw! my beautiful eighties and nineties. Life was slow, people met more often in person and life was just nice. Its all but beautiful memories now! Coming back to this ellu podi! This is an excellent lentil powder that can be served with idli and dosa just like idli milagai podi. It also goes well with rice mixed with some ghee. Here is how to do ellu podi!

Ellu Podi – Sesame Seed Lentil Powder for Idli Dosa and Rice / Sadam. Tamil style recipe from kongunad. Black Ellu Idli Milagai Podi.

We will be roasting all the ingredients separately. First we will roast the black sesame seeds. Traditionally the seeds and lentils are dry roasted. But I add a teaspoon of peanut oil while roasting. It fries really well bringing the robust aromas out. Take a pan and add in a scant teaspoon of oil. Add in the black sesame seeds and fry on a low flame. Low Flame is the key while making any South Indian lentil powder. Cooking on high flame will burn the ingredients. Fry the seeds till they have a glossy shine and they are very hot to touch. It will look oily. The seeds will start to burst. That’s a sign that the seeds have been roasted. Remove from the pan and spread on a plate or a newspaper to cool.

ellu-podi-recipe-sesame

In the same pan add in a teaspoon of oil and add whole white urad dal. Use unpolished urad dal. Roast the lentil until it smells nutty and the dal turns color. It should be really golden in colour. Always roast on low flame. That is the key. Remove from the pan once the dal is golden. Set aside on a plate to cool.

ellu-podi-recipe-dal

In the same pan, dry roast the curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Wait for the curry leaves to dry and the chillies to fluff up. Remove from the pan and spread on a plate or a newspaper to cool.

ellu-podi-recipe-chillies

Spread all the ingredients on a news paper and let it cool completely.

ellu-podi-recipe-cool

Add in the cooled ingredients to a mixie jar. Add in the salt and asafoetida (hing). Grind to a slightly coarse powder. If you like your powder to be smooth, pulse several times mixing in-between. I like the slight crunch of the lentils. So I keep it very slightly coarse. Grind to a consistency that you like.

ellu-podi-recipe-salt

You can store this ellu podi at room temperature for upto 15-20 days. If you are going to need it for a longer time, then store the podi in zip tote bags in the freezer. It stays fresh for upto 4-5 months in the freezer.

Mix the ellu podi either with sesame oil (nallennai) or ghee and serve with idli or dosa. If serving with rice, add a teaspoon of the powder and a teaspoon of ghee to a cup of rice. Mix well and serve.

ellu-podi-recipe

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ellu-podi-recipe

Ellu Podi for Idli, Dosa and Rice – Sesame Seed Lentil Powder


★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 2 cups / 30 servings 1x
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Description

Ellu Podi – Sesame Seed Lentil Powder for Idli Dosa and Rice / Sadam. Tamil style recipe from kongunad. Black Ellu Idli Milagai Podi.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 teaspoon peanut oil
  • 1 cup black sesame seed
  • 1 cup whole white urad dal
  • 4 sprigs curry leaves
  • 10 dried red chillies
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Instructions

  1. In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and roast the sesame seeds until they are glossy and aromatic. Set aside on a plate to cool.
  2. In the same pan add in a teaspoon of oil and add whole white urad dal. Roast the lentil until it smells nutty and the dal turns color. Set aside on a plate to cool.
  3. In the same pan, dry roast the curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Wait for the curry leaves to dry and the chillies to fluff up.
  4. Spread all the ingredients on a news paper and let it cool completely.
  5. Add in the cooled ingredients to a mixie jar. Add in the salt and asafoetida (hing). Grind to a slightly coarse powder.
  6. You can store this ellu podi at room temperature for upto 15-20 days. If you are going to need it for a longer time, then store the podi in zip tote bags in the freezer. It stays fresh for upto 4-5 months in the freezer.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Category: Spice Powder
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu

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Suguna Vinodh

I'm Suguna Vinodh aka Kannamma. I love south Indian food and I am passionate about baking. My Favorite things include my Wusthof knife, Coffee, Ilayaraja, Tamil and beaches. I love Jacques Pepin and Julia Child.

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Comments

  1. JAVED says

    June 17, 2022 at 1:07 pm

    NUTRITIONAL FACTS GIVEN IT IS FOR ELLU PODI

    Reply
  2. BRM says

    June 4, 2020 at 12:47 am

    Thank you for this and other fabulous Kongunadu recipes. My parents are from the region but I grew up in other parts of the world. Your recipes remind me of all my childhood favorites that grandma used to make. Really happy to find your website. Please keep posting more Kongunadu recipes. I am so thrilled to have found your site.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      June 4, 2020 at 12:52 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Pari says

    March 2, 2020 at 9:46 am

    Hi.. Can I add black urad dal?? I mean with the skin .. I don’t have white urad dal in hand..

    Reply
  4. Indira kiran says

    July 18, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    Hi,Madam your recipes are simply innovative and good and easy to make in a simple ways.
    I wish you to come up with such many more interesting recipes for all.

    Reply
  5. Chamu says

    November 21, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    I have a doubt sis .. sesame is heaty food in nature so how to compensate the heat nature of it ?

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      November 21, 2018 at 8:58 pm

      You can have everything in moderation.

      Reply
  6. Poorni says

    March 27, 2018 at 11:00 pm

    Awesome recipe… Yummilicious.. perfect product for adolescent girls ND young adult women

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      March 28, 2018 at 2:32 pm

      Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Sathya says

    November 4, 2017 at 10:55 pm

    Just made this delicious podi. I doubled the red chillies quantity as we like the podi a bit fiery, turned out great! Thank you for the posts, your site has become my goto page for recipes.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Shameema says

    August 26, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    Hai sugun
    U stole my heart.D way u explain your memories make me travel along with u as a childhood friend.I’m a malayalee brought up in Tamilnadu .l love tamilians,especially innocent villagers.l see them through your journey. I welcome u to my house. I tried ellupodi today.Lovely!
    All r praising me like anything.
    CREDIT GOES TO U.

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      August 28, 2017 at 8:26 pm

      Thank you Shameema.

      Reply
  9. Shameema says

    August 26, 2017 at 11:29 am

    Hai sugun!
    Should v mix oil (gingelly/coconut)with ellupodi for dosai? as I commonly use it for paruppupodi powder for dosai.

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      August 28, 2017 at 8:27 pm

      Yes. You need to mix with oil.

      Reply
  10. Shameema says

    August 22, 2017 at 11:12 pm

    I’m a new viewer .On seeing d comments I tried tamilian fish curry.It was awesome. Wish to try all your recipes..Thank you very much.

    Reply
  11. Priya says

    September 12, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    Hello Suguna ka,
    Your recipes are simply delicious and now i am almost making any one of your recipe thrice a week.(Sure on weekend one day)
    This weekend it was mutton kuzhambu and chukka.
    My husband and son loved it! It was a pleasure!
    Thanks for your contribution.
    And as i already mentioned in a separate comment. It feels like home following your recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      September 13, 2016 at 9:52 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  12. Poonguzhali says

    September 4, 2016 at 7:36 pm

    Hi,
    Can I use white sesame seeds in place of black for the same recipe? I love all your recipes by the way. They are all so authentic. I loved the Chettinadu Fish Kulambu. It tasted awesome!! Thanks.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      September 4, 2016 at 7:39 pm

      This recipe tastes good with black sesame seeds Poonguzhali. The husk gives an earthy flavor.

      Reply
  13. Suba says

    September 2, 2016 at 3:29 pm

    Made this today for Thosai and it tasted heavenly. Thank you very much for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      September 2, 2016 at 9:30 pm

      Thanks Suba.

      Reply
  14. Shree says

    September 1, 2016 at 11:27 pm

    Hi… Can this be given to toddlers ?

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      September 2, 2016 at 9:39 am

      Yes. It can be given to toddlers. I would give this to my son with idlies tossed in ellu podi and ghee.

      Reply
  15. Gowthami says

    August 31, 2016 at 9:46 pm

    Hi Suguna,

    If you have prepared Ellu Urundai (Sweet), could you please share the recipe.

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      August 31, 2016 at 10:29 pm

      Will post soon Gowthami!

      Reply

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I’m Suguna, a former financial analyst, now a full-time food blogger. Welcome to my space. I share recipes gathered from my friends and family here. I am passionate about South Indian food. I crazy love knives. A sharp knife is a girls best friend. Hope you like the recipes here. Happy Cooking. Read more.....

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