Milagai Podi is a coarse mixture of ground dry spices that typically contains dried chillies, lentils, and sesame seeds. Tamils

Tamil people

Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...

 traditionally use milagai podi as a condiment on idlis, dosa

Dosa

Dosa or Dhosai is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is indigenous to and is a staple dish in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as being popular in Sri Lanka...

s and other South Indian dishes. The intensity of this condiment's spiciness can range from almost no spice at all to extremely spicy. Some like to sprinkle a layer of sugar on top of the spicier mixtures after the oil is poured on the powder. This innovative idea creates a barrage of flavors once inside the mouth, from spicy and salty to sweet. Parents use this method for satisfying children who crave 'podi' but can not handle the intense flavor.

Considered a convenient substitute to chutney

Chutney

Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...

s, it is usually available in most households in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

.

Molagai podi is not consumed dry, rather it is mixed with sesame oil

Sesame oil

Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. Besides being used as a cooking oil in South India, it is often used as a flavor enhancer in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and to a lesser extent Southeast Asian cuisine.The oil from the nutrient rich seed is popular in alternative...

 or sometimes ghee

Ghee

Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

.

Recipe for Molagai Podi

100 g of urad dal

Urad (bean)

Vigna mungo, known as urad, urad dal, udad dal, urd bean, urd, urid, black matpe bean, black gram, black lentil [not to be confused with the much smaller true black lentil ], maas , đậu đen or white lentil, is a bean grown in southern Asia...

100 g of channa dal

Chickpea

The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...

5-10 dry red chillies

1/2 tsp til (sesame

Sesame

Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....

 seed)

a pinch of asafoetida

Asafoetida

Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...

salt to taste

Mix the dal and the chillies in a wok and dry roast until the white dal changes to a golden brown. Remove to a plate and sprinkle the asefotida on the mix before it cools. Dry roast the sesame seeds till they become dry. Mix with the dal and chilli mix and let cool.

When cooled completely, salt to taste and put it all in a grinder and make a slightly coarse powder of the same.

Mix with either sesame oil or ghee when using.

Some recipes add powdered, roasted garlic.

Add 25g of rice and 2 tsp of pepper to the above ingredients to get the authentic pallakkaad style idli molagai podi.

Instead of seseme seeds, try adding jaggery to get a different taste.

External links

• Milagai Podi Receipes