Idly or dosa podi | Ellu milagai podi | Milagai podi | Sesame seed podi

Ellu milagai podi, a best accompaniment for idly or dosa.My mom makes idly podi with sesame seeds,so no need to add oil while having(if wish, you can add oil), adding sesame seed gives slight stickiness or oil-ness(don't know how to describe  that) to the podi. 
I prepare this for every 15 days and it comes handy,even we pack this with idly for our travel too.Now let's see the procedure. This post was published on nov'11 and updated on jul'16 and i keep some of the old photos as it :-) 

Ellu Milagai podi

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Makes : 2/3 cup 
Recipe Category: Powder/Condiment | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Red Chili - 25 

Skinned Spilt Urad Dal/Whole urad dal - 1/2 cup

Black sesame seed - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Garlic pods - 5 to 7

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Salt

Procedure

Measure and keep everything ready. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan,add urad dal, roast it till the wonderful aroma comes from the dal,at the time, the dal slightly changes its color, transfer the dal to another plate to cool.keep it aside.In the same pan, next roast the red chili dal till it's become crispy and mildly changes its color.Remove the chilies on the same plate.Then roast the garlic & curry leaves till the curry leaves turns crispy & set aside.Finally add the sesame seed in the hot pan & close it with lid/plate immediately.It starts to pop,swirl in between to avoid burning at the bottom.Once the pop sound reduces, remove the plate(be careful) & let it cool.Once all the ingredients are cooled,put all the ingredients in the mixie jar except sesame seed along with asafoedita & grind into semi coarse powder.Now add sesame seed & salt and grind once again to fine powder.
That's it. Flavorful Ellu milagai podi is ready.Put it in air tight container. It will remain fresh even for months.

Notes

• After grinding the sesame seed with other ingredients,the podi will stick to the bottom of jar, scrap the bottom of jar and give a pulse if needed.
• The color of the podi depends on amount of sesame seed you're using.
• You can use equal proportion of dal & sesame seed.it will give slightly sticky podi.
• Curry leaves is optional but i highly recommend to add for great flavor.
• Skinned urad dal gives great taste & flavor, highly recommend to use that.
• Depends on the size, increase or decrease the garlic pods.