Instant paruppu podi/pappula podi

Eat with hot rice and ghee or add it to any curry, dal powder makes your meal more delicious. I remember my mom roasting a couple of dals to make the paruppu podi. But she also had an easy to make version with dalia. I prefer eating the podi with some rice and ghee and to go along with it some mango pachadi. I also sprinkle a teaspoon of the podi while making dondakayya (tindora) or broad beans curry and it tastes really good. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups dalia (putana dal/putnala Pappu)
1 tsp jeera
A few peppercorns (adjust according to taste)
7 to 8 dry red chillies (add more chillies if you want it hot)
1/4 tsp asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method1. First roast the dal in a pan and set aside.
2. Next fry the jeera, peppercorns and red chillies.

Roasted dal, red chillies, jeera and peppercorns

3. Transfer the asted dal, jeera, peppercorns, red chillies and asafoetida to a blender/mixer and make a powder.
4. Add salt to taste and store in an airtight container. Can be stored for more than a month.

Roasted dal powder

Notes:
1. Do not add oil while roasting the ingredients.
2. You can roast a few curry leaves along with the jeera and add to the dal while making the powder.