Blends of goodness & taste: Podi is an integral part of Telugu meal

Podi is an integral part of Telugu meal. The flavours and recipes of the podis change according to regional taste. A few podis like kandi podi and senaga podi and even karivepaku podi (curry leaves) are more in vogue whereas there are myriad other flavours one could trace to heirloom recipes that many may not know. Traditional families inculcate the regional scarcely available vegetables, meats, cereals and pulses to be made into podi.

They not just enhance the meal, but help in retaining appetite, and some help cure seasonal ailments. Some are given as curatives during specific time, like, Anagya podi that is given for wound healing and digestion to women after delivery. Uddipodi is given to girls at young age, which is served with ghee to strengthen bones.

Here are few podi recipes, which are healthy and tasty too.

Munagaku Avisaginjala Podi (flaxseeds and drumstick leaf spicy powder)

Ingredients

Moringa leaves - cleaned and deveined - 250gm,

Flax seeds - 50gm,

Curry leaves, - 50gm,

Chana dal - 10gm,

Groundnut - 5gm,

Garlic - 1 pod (garlic enhances taste, but if u want to avoid, then add a pinch of asafoetida)

Dry red chili - as per your taste of spice level - approx. 6

Coriander seeds - 2tsp,

Tamarind - a small pinch size,

Sesame seeds - 2tsp,

Salt - as per your taste.

Method: Dry roast all the ingredients one after the other and let them cool and then grind them. It doesn't give you fine powder. It is very good for health.

Curry Leaves Powder

Many of us pick out curry leaves from our food. However, it is valuable and helpful for health with vast herbal benefits. Curry leaves are rich in carbohydrates, fibre, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, copper and minerals. They contain various vitamins like nicotinic acid, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, antioxidants, amino acids, flavonoids. It is completely zero fat. The consumption of curry leaves helps cure diarrhea, gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, excessive acid secretion, peptic ulcers, dysentery, diabetes, and most importantly helps in discarding unhealthy cholesterol in the body. The consumption of curry leaves purifies blood and cures digestive tract ulcer too. Everyday a spoon full of curry leaf powder is good for health. It is more beneficial when eaten as tasty podi rather than using it as seasoning that can be discarded.

Ingredients:

Curry leaves - 4 cups cleaned,

Chana dal - 1/4 cup,

Seseme seeds - 6tsp,

Red chilli whole - 10,

Tamarind - marble size,

Coriander seeds - 6 tsp,

Garlic flakes - 1/4 cup,

Asfoetida a pinch,

Salt as per taste,

Oil - 2 tsp,

Method:

Fry all the ingredients one after another in oil, Let them cool, Grind it to powder. You can store it for one month. Can be served with idli, dosa, or with white rice and ghee. We can also make karivepaku podi rice with it.

Nelikaya (Indian goose berry/amla) and Horsegram (ulavalu) Podi

Winters are full of colourful and healthy vegetables and fruits. Inculcating seasonal fruits and veggies into the daily meal is a part of Pattu family living.

Amla/usirikaya/nelikaya is found abundantly in the market during winters. Using them the most in the cuisine is what we did. Since these magic berries are good for fighting the common cold; Vitamin C in Amla is absorbed more easily by the body compared to store-bought supplements like capsules; helps in improving eyesight, and helps burn fat in the body; Amla helps build immunity, and also plays a key role in beautifying hair; It improves skin, by reducing the oily skin problems, scars and pimple.

Nelikaya along with ulavalu (horse gram) which are super rich protein source are mixed together to make this podi. Horse grams helps in skin glow; controls diabetes, also promotes weight reduction; protects liver; and helps in treating kidney stones.

Ingredients

Nelikaya (Amla) - 4 big size chopped into fine pieces and dried. (under shade).

Ulavalu (horsegram) - 3tsp,

Garlic - without peeling -6flakes,

Roasted chana dal (putnalu) -2tsp,

Coriander seeds - 1tsp,

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4tsp,

Dry red chili - 8 – de-seeded,

Salt – as per taste,

Oil - a teaspoon.

Method

Heat oil and dry roast every ingredient one after the other.

Dry roast all the ingredients separately.

Let them cool and blend them together adding salt, to a fine powder.

Let it cool and store it in airtight container.

Have it with hot rice and ghee or make nelikaya podi annam for lunch box. One can also have it with idli, dosa, or upma.