Instructions

• FOR MILAGAI PODI
• In a dry skillet over medium flame toast the green curry leaves until they dry and lose water. They will crisp and begin to break. Cool on a plate.
• In the same skillet dry toast the sesame seeds until lightly golden. Combine with the curry leaves on a plate and cool.
• Heat 1.5 teaspoons of ghee or oil in a small skillet on medium flame. Toast urad and channa dals together 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Switch off flame, pour dals into a plate and cool. Then grind to a fine powder.
• Heat remaining ghee or oil in the same skillet on medium heat and roast red chillies. A asafetida and saute 1 minute. Remove from fire, pour into a plate and cool.
• Grind the curry leaves, sesame and red chillies to a fine slightly clumpy powder. Add the powdered lentils, one teaspoon of salt and continue to grind until you have a smooth powder.
• Taste for salt. Cool and bottle in a dry airtight jar. Keep refrigerated in humid weather.
• FOR IDLI
• Wash the rice and the urad dal separately. Soak each in a bowl of water for 6 hours. The water should rise above the rice and urad lentil.
• Wash both separately and drain completely
• Grind rice in a food processor or rice grinder until smooth.
• Add water in very small quantities to facilitate grinding.
• If you add too much water the grains will slip between the blades and you will have a gritty batter. This process would take anything between 10-15 minutes depending on the quality of your grinder. Grind in stops and starts to prevent your motor from overheating.
• Repeat the same process with the urad dal. Grind in batches until smooth. Add water a few tablespoons at a time. When you have a smooth paste combine with the rice batter and grind again so they are both well incorporated.
• Place the smooth batter in an extra large and covered container in a slightly warm corner of the kitchen and allow the batter to double in size for 8-9 hours.
• Stir in the salt and mix gently.
• Preheat your steamer. Idlis cook better when the steamer is already hot. Set the water to boil if you are using a pressure cooker. Lightly oil the mini idli stands. Pour the idli batter a teaspoon at a time into the mini idli stands. Cover with a slightly damp muslin cloth. Steam as per directions. For smaller idlis possibly 10-12 minutes.
• Remove stands from the steamer and gently pry loose the idlis. Brush with ghee or oil if desired. Sprinkle with podi and serve with chutney and or sambhar.