Curry Leaves Powder (Karivepaku Podi)

How to Prepare

1. Dry roast 4 cups of curry leaves on low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan until they turn crisp (about 5-7 minutes). Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, dry roast 1 cup of chana dal until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Remove and set aside.
3. Dry roast 1 cup of urad dal until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Remove and set aside.
4. Dry roast 1/2 cup of coriander seeds until aromatic (about 2-3 minutes). Remove and set aside.
5. Dry roast 20 dried red chilies until they puff up slightly (about 1-2 minutes). Remove and set aside.
6. Dry roast 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds until aromatic (about 1 minute). Remove and set aside.
7. Allow all roasted ingredients to cool completely to room temperature.
8. In a mixer grinder, grind the cooled ingredients along with 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of tamarind into a coarse or fine powder as per preference.
9. Sieve the powder if a finer texture is desired (optional).
10. Store the curry leaves powder in an airtight container.