The first thing you would notice if you go to any Andhra restaurant for a thali is an array of pickle jars and various powders which are placed on every table.While few varieties might vary,the most common varieties would be Andhra Avakaya andKandi Podi(which is fondly called as Andhra Gun powder).
Andhrites start their lunch with a powder, mostly Kandi podi which is Andhra's trademark recipe.It is usually mixed with hot rice and a generous dollop of ghee, a combination which is definitely a heaven on a plate.You can even mix Avakaya with the powder and ghee,even that tastes absolutely delicious.Many of my friends(including those who are not from Andhra) have tasted this powder/podi and have always raved about its taste. One must try this trademark Andhra Gun powder recipe for sure to understand what I am saying.
Kandi Podi | Andhra famous Gun PowderRecipe:
shelf life:stays fresh up to a month
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Toor dal
1/2 cup Moong dal
1/2 cup Chana dal
10-12 Red chillies
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Method:
- Dry roast toor dal until it turns red in color and keep it aside and dry roast moong dal until red in color and remove it from pan and keep it aside and do the same with chana dal.Always dry roast each dal separately as they will not get roasted uniformly otherwise.Let them cool.
- Dry roast red chillies until they turn slight red in color and keep them aside.
- Dry roast cumin seeds and keep them aside.
- Once all the dals come to room temperature grind all the dals with red chillies,cumin seeds and salt to a powder.You can either grind it to a fine powder or slightly coarse powder.
- Store it in an air tight container.
Serve it with hot steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.You can serve chopped raw onions along with it,it tastes delicious.
Notes:
- Add 1-2 garlic pods after the dals are ground to a powder and grind it again to a powder.
- Do not grind it to a very fine powder,keep it slightly coarse.
- You can mix the kandi podi with Mango Avakaya,Usiri Avakaya,Gongura etc or just mix it with hot rice and a dollop of ghee.It tastes very delicious.
