Kandi Podi
A roasted lentil and red chilli powder mixed with sesame oil and hot rice, a staple pantry condiment in every Andhra kitchen.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 110 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy skillet
- •Spice grinder
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- fat
- 3 g
- carbs
- 14 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 110 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Dry roast the toor dal, chana dal and urad dal separately in a heavy pan on low heat. Stir until golden and fragrant.
- 2
In the same pan, dry roast the dried red chillies. Stir until they darken slightly and turn crisp.
- 3
Dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds together for 1-2 minutes. Cook until they smell fragrant.
- 4
If using garlic, roast the peeled cloves in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes. Cook until lightly browned and dry.
- 5
Let all the roasted ingredients cool completely to room temperature.
- 6
Grind the roasted dals, chillies, cumin, coriander, garlic and asafoetida in a spice grinder. Blend into a coarse powder.
- 7
Add the salt and pulse briefly until well mixed.
- 8
Sift through a sieve if you want a finer powder. Store in an airtight jar.
Chef's tips
Let ingredients cool completely before grinding so they do not turn into paste. Grind in small batches so the podi (spice powder) stays coarse.
Ingredient substitutions
- garlic cloves → omit entirely for a Jain-friendly version
Storage
Store in an airtight container away from moisture for up to 2 months.
Reheating
No reheating needed; it is a dry condiment used at room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Roasting the dals on high heat, which burns them unevenly.
- •Grinding the ingredients while still warm, which makes the powder clump.
Serving suggestions
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