Chammandi Podi

Chammandi Podi is basically spiced roasted and powdered coconut. It can be mixed with rice and eaten. That is my favourite way of eating it. I guess it can be eaten as a side for idli and dosa. When your husband and/or kid make you to cook less spicy food, this comes as a lifesaver!

It brings back memories of my mom's cooking. I really missed it and am still not sure why I have never made it till now. I decided to give it a try today. It was fairly easy to make, just a little time consuming.

I have deviated a little bit from the traditional recipe. I used Urad dal which is not part of the original one. Also, usually people roast everything together. But I have done separately as adding chillies and roasting for long time makes house smoky. Also, highly recommend using a non stick pan as the coconut takes a long time to roast and tends to stick to the bottom of pans.

Ingredients

Coconut 4 cups

Urad dal 1 cup

Corriander seeds 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Pepper 1 tsp

Red Chillies 15 (depending on the spiciness of the chilli. Mine was not very spicy, so 15 was less)

Ginger small piece

Curry leaf few

Salt 2 tsp

Oil a little

Method of Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Pan and add urad dal and roast till it is slightly browned. Keep aside.

2. Next roast the corriander and cumin seeds, red chillies, peppers, curry leaf, ginger one at a time and keep aside

3. Next roast the coconut in a medium low flame. This takes a long time depending on the quantity of coconut. Once browned, keep it separate.

4. Coarsely powder all the items other than coconut and add to a bowl

5. Powder the coconut and mix into that bowl

6. Add 2 tsp salt to it and mix well.

7. If you feel spice level is less, you can add some chilli powder (I had to do that as my chillies were not good this time).