Kathirikai Podi

Kathirikkai Podi (Special Powder for Eggplant)

I don't know about you, but the eggplant got short shrift from us when we were kids growing up. Maybe it was the texture or the complex taste or a combination of little things that added up to a big no-no. What saved the day was the preparation of said taboo boo boo vegetable with Kathirikkai Podi. The potential for gooey mess substantially reduced, the powder allows the eggplant to shine as a mouthwatering side dish.

As a lazy man who is willing to work really hard to keep laziness relevant, I suggest making a large batch of the delicious powder and popping it in your freezer. That will allow you to make a dish that is normally reserved for special occasions when you have the luxury of time to take the extra steps to prepare the powder.

The roasting is normally done with oil. I dry roast with salt to keep the powder fresher for a longer period. Adding the right amount of salt to the powder serves an important purpose. It allows the cook to salt the main ingredient independently and the powder tastes right as well.

Ingredients

Chana Dal - 1/4 cup

Coriander Seeds - 3/8 cup

Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Dried Red Chilis - 12 to 15
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Grated Dry Coconut - 3/8 cup (optional)
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Dry roast adding ingredients in stages until dark golden brown. The powder will be much lighter in color than the roasted ingredients. So don't panic if the ingredients look a bit burnt.

Poricha Kootu Mix

Ingredients

Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Dried Red Chilis - 12
Whole Black Pepper - 1 tablespoon
Cumin Seeds - 2 tablespoons
Shredded Coconut - 1 1/2 cups

Roast, adding subsequent items one at a time judiciously, until coconut is dark golden in color. No ingredient should burn and the goal is to get them all roasted about the same.

Grind and freeze in ice cube trays for storage and subsequent use.

Roughly 4 ice cubes of mix is sufficient for 1 cup of cooked dal.