Idli podi / Gun powder is an inevitable side dish in my house. Though I make varieties of chutney and sambar recipes for idli, dosa we have the habit of eating at least one last idli with idli podi. So I always keep idli powder also known as chutney powder in stock. And I love to try varieties of idli podi recipes. Its been a long time I used flax seeds in my cooking.
Flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum) also known as common flax or linseeds (Aali vithai in Tamil,
Alsi ke Beej in Hindi,
Agase bījagaḷu in Kannada, caṇa vittukaḷ in Malayalam, Avise gin̄jalu in Telugu ) are small oil seeds that originated in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Lately, they have gained popularity as a health food. This is due to their high content of heart-healthy omega-3 fats, fiber, and other unique plant compounds. Flax seeds have health benefits such as improved digestion and a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. They can be easily incorporated into your diet. Roasting and grinding them is the best way to make the most of their health benefits. (source : https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/flaxseeds).
Earlier I used to add roasted flax seeds powder in my poriyal and kootu. This time, I wanted to include it in the form of idli podi.
This Flax seeds idli podi is a healthy chutney powder recipe prepared with urad dal, chana dal, flax seeds and curry leaves. Garlic flavored idli podi is our family’s favorite. So I have added some garlic cloves in this flax seeds podi. You can skip if you don’t like it.
Friends, do try this healthy flax seeds idli podi recipe / flax seeds chutney powder for idli, dosa. You will love it. Check out the video too !
Red chilli – 12 to 15 (6 spicy chilli, 6 byadge or Kashmiri chilli)
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Asafetida / Hing – 1/4 tsp
Garlic cloves with skin – 10
Salt – as needed
Cooking oil – 2 tsp
HOW TO MAKE FLAX SEEDS IDLI PODI
Heat a kadai and dry roast flax seeds till it starts to pop.
Remove in a plate. Add 1 tsp cooking oil in the kadai.
Roast chana dal and urad dal. Roast till golden in low to medium flame.
Remove in a plate. Heat 1 tsp oil. Add red chilli, curry leaves, hing and roast till crispy.
Add salt and switch off the flame. Let everything cool down.
Firstly grind the red chilli to a coarse powder.
Now add the roasted dals, flax seeds and grind to powder.
Lastly add the garlic cloves. Grind to a fine powder.
Remove in a bowl. Cool down and store in a box.
Enjoy with idli, dosa adding sesame oil.
METHOD – STEP BY STEP PICTURES
Heat a kadai and dry roast the flax seeds till it starts to pop. Do in low to medium flame without burning them. Transfer to a plate.
In the same kadai, add 1 tsp of cooking oil. Add chana dal, urad dal and keep roasting them till both the dals turn golden in color. Do it patiently in low to medium flame. It takes 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer to the flax seeds plate. Now add 1 tsp of oil and add the red chillies, hing and curry leaves. Roast it till crispy without browning the chillies. Roast in low to medium flame patiently. Lastly add salt.
Switch off the flame and let it be in the kadai for some time. It helps to make the chillies more crispy.
Firstly grind the red chillies (use Byadge or Kashmiri chilli for bright color), curry leaves coarsely. Then add the roasted dal, flax seeds together to a powder. Lastly add garlic cloves with skin. Grind to a smooth powder by mixing the powder from the bottom. Don’t worry, garlic will be ground well.
Now transfer the idli podi to a bowl. Let it cool down. Then store in an air tight box. Use up to 2 weeks to 1 month. Enjoy with idli dosa drizzling with sesame oil.
Note
For variations, you can skip garlic cloves and add asafetida alone.
You can also add 2 tbsp of dry roasted sesame seeds and add it while grinding. It adds a nice flavor.
Grinding red chillies firstly gives a nice, bright color to idli podi.
For healthy variations, you can add roasted horsegram too.
You can also add 2 tsp of roasted coriander seeds for variations.
Healthy and tasty flax seeds idli podi is ready to enjoy with idli dosa !
