Karivepaku Podi Recipe (Curry Leaves Powder)
Karivepaku Podi (Curry Leaves Powder, Karuveppilai Podi) is a South Indian condiment (dry chutney powder) that brings together the refreshing flavor of curry leaves and spices. It is ideal to be served with a bowl of rice, dosa, or idlis. Here is how to make it.
Servings: 10 people
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil use peanut or sesame oil for best flavor
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds (sarson)
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- ¼ cup Bengal gram (chana dal)
- ¼ cup split and skinned black lentils (white urad dal)
- 10-12 whole Kashmiri dry red chilies stalks removed
- ¼ cup whole coriander seeds
- 2 cups curry leaves rinsed, tightly packed
- lime size ball seedless tamarind
- ½ cup grated fresh coconut
- 3 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Wash the curry leaves and spread them on a kitchen towel for 4-5 hours to eliminate any excess water.
- Note – You can wash the leaves a day before making the podi. This will remove any moisture in them.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium flame.
- Once the oil is hot, add asafetida, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds, and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add chana dal, urad dal, Kashmiri dry red chilies, and whole coriander seeds to the pan and roast on low heat until they turn slightly brown. Stir continuously to avoid burning.
- Note – It is important to roast the ingredients on low flame so that they get crisp and flavorful from the inside.
- Now add the washed and dried curry leaves and dry roast on low heat until they turn crisp. It will take 15-20 minutes. Stir very frequently.
- Note – Some people roast the kari leaves only for 6-8 minutes instead of 15-20 minutes. By roasting them for less time, the flavor of the podi is enhanced but the shelf life is reduced. So if you want to finish the podi quickly, roast the kari leaves for only 6-8 minutes.
- Add tamarind, coconut, and salt, and roast for another 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the roasted ingredients cool completely.
- Transfer the cooled ingredients to a grinder or a food processor and grind to make a coarse powder.
- Store the powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
- When serving, take out a teaspoon or two of powder on the plate, pour some sesame oil or ghee on top, and serve with sambar rice or idli dosas.
Video
Notes
Roast the fresh curry leaves on low heat. It is time-consuming, but the leaves will turn out perfectly crispy only when fried on low flame.
You can increase or decrease the red chilies according to your taste.
Make a coarse powder from the roasted ingredients for the best taste and texture.
Some people add turmeric powder to their karivepaku podi recipe for a nice color.
Nutrition
Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 702mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 3597IU | Vitamin C: 1893mg | Calcium: 422mg | Iron: 1mg
