Idli Podi Recipe

Idli podi recipe with step by step pics. Idli podi is also known as milagai podi and is a dry condiment served with Idli or Dosa or Uttapam. This recipe is easy to make, as you just have to roast and then grind everything together. This is also a vegan recipe.

It is also used as a chutney substitute while travelling or for tiffin or lunch boxes. Basically idli milagai podi is a dry powder made with lentils and red chilies. There is some spiciness and heat in a typical milagai podi. There is a variation of idli podi called as gun powder which is spicy and includes more red chilies as well as garlic.

In the Tamil language, the word milagai means red chilies and podi means powder. Idli podi is always mixed with some sesame oil or ghee and then served with idli, dosa or uttapam.

There is a dish called Podi idli where idlis are smeared with a mix of idli podi and sesame oil or ghee.

Now after describing what is idli podi and what it is made up of, let me tell you its taste. There is a slight crunch in it from the roasted lentils and the earthy, smoky, pungent, nutty taste of everything is all felt at once when you dip the idlis in a mixture of podi and sesame oil. If you have had idli podi like me many times, then you know how addictive and tasty it is.

The idli podi recipe, I am sharing is a recipe that I have been making for many years now. There is always a small jar of idli podi in my house. Even though I make both coconut chutney and sambar to go with idlis, podi is a must.

Tips for making idli podi

1. To reduce the spiciness in the idli podi, use red chilies which are less spicy and pungent. Best to use red chilies like Kashmiri red chilies or byadagi chilies as the podi will have a nice bright orange color and will be less spicy. For a more spicy taste, you can increase the number of chilies. You can always add more or less dry red chilies as per your needs. 
2. You can either dry roast everything or use oil in roasting. Choose whatever suits you.
3. Some desiccated coconut can also be added.
4. I always add some sesame seeds in the idli podi. You can skip if you want. Both white or black sesame seeds can be used.

Before making any homemade powder or spice mix, its best to follow some tips as mentioned below:

• Use spices and lentils which are fresh and in their shelf period. When making any spice mix don’t use aged spices.
• Pick and clean the spices, seeds, lentils etc of stones. Especially for seeds like sesame seeds
• Make sure that the dry red chilies do not have mold from inside. Just break them and check if there is any whitish or greyish mold inside. They should feel crisp on touch and not moist.
• Rinse the curry leaves in fresh water and dry them in a cotton kitchen towel.

How to make Idli Podi Recipe

A) roasting lentils and spices

1. Keep all the spices and lentils ready before you begin. Take a heavy kadai or a pan and heat it. Keep the heat to a low.

Add ¼ cup urad dal to the pan. Keep on stirring often while roasting urad dal.

2. Roast till the urad dal becomes golden and you get a nice aroma of the roasted urad dal.

3. Remove the roasted urad dal in a separate plate.

4. Then add ¼ cup chana dal to the same pan.

5. Keep on stirring often, while roasting chana dal.

6. Chana dal takes longer to roast. the chana dal should get browned or golden. For uniform cooking and color, keep on stirring them often.

7. Remove aside on the same plate.

8. Now take 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds in the same pan.

9. Stirring often roast till the sesame seeds change color and start crackling and popping.

10. You will also get a nutty aroma from the sesame seeds after they have been roasted well.

11. Keep them aside.

12. In the same pan add ½ teaspoon oil. You can use sesame oil (gingelly oil which is made from raw sesame seeds). You can also use sunflower oil or peanut oil.

Add 4 to 5 dry red chilies. Remove the crown from the red chilies, before roasting them. Break or halve the chilies and remove the seeds before roasting them.

13. Mix the red chilies with oil and roast them on the lowest flame.

14. Roast the red chilies, stirring them till they change color and you can get their pungent smoky aroma.

15. Add 22 to 24 curry leaves (2 sprigs of curry leaves) in the pan.

16. Stirring non stop, fry for a few seconds till the curry leaves become crisp.

17. Switch off the heat and add ½ teaspoon hing (asafoetida).

18. Mix well.

19. Then add 1 teaspoon salt.

20. Mix again.

21. Take this spice mixture on the same plate. Let all the roasted spices cool down and come at room temperature.

Making idli podi

22. In a grinder jar, add the entire roasted spice mixture.

23. Grind in intervals of some seconds to a coarse or fine powder. Do not grind at a stretch as then the sesame seeds will release oil.

I usually grind it to a fine consistency as that’s how we prefer idli podi. Check the taste and add some more salt if required.

24. Then spoon idli podi in a jar. close tightly with a lid and keep milagai podi at room temperature. You can even keep in the fridge.

25. For 1 serving, take 2 to 3 tablespoons of idli podi. Mix it with a bit of sesame oil or ghee and make a paste. Serve it with idli, dosa or uttapam or any South Indian snack of your choice.

More spice powder recipes

• Goda masala
• Garam masala
• Rasam powder
• Sambar powder
• Bisi bele bath powder

This Idli Podi Recipe post from the archives, originally published in May 2018 has been updated and republished on January 2023.