Kurala Podi | Multi purpose Spice Powder for SOUTH INDIAN CURRIES

On a daily basis, we make a vegetable curry or stir fry to go along with rice in lunch.While we make various varieties with freshly ground masala or simple spices sometimes I take an easy route with this multi purpose curry powder.If we have the curry powder handy,all we need to do is to either stuff the vegetables generously with this powder and shallow fry in oil or you can sprinkle the powder on the sauteed stir fry vegetables.As this stays for a couple of months, it is very handy to use in stir fries.Check out this Masala Carrot Curry recipe where I used this kurala podi as the only masala.

Kurala Podi Recipe | Multi purpose Curry powder :
(makes around 500gms - 2 cups powder)
Shelf life: 2 months

Ingredients:
1/2 cup grated dry coconut
1/2 cup Coriander seeds
1/3 cup Groundnuts
1/4 cup Chana dal
1/4 cup Sesame seeds
12 Red chillies
6-8 Byadige Red chillies
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
a gooseberry sized tamarind
2 tsp Salt (salt to taste)
2 tsp Oil

Method:

• Heat 1/2 tsp oil and add groundnuts and fry until they are roasted.Peel the skin or you can even skin,its your wish.
• Heat 1/4 tsp oil and add chana dal and roast until they are red in color and keep them aside.
• Heat 1/4 tsp oil and add coriander seeds and roast until they are red in color and keep them aside.
• Heat 1/4 tsp oil and add sesame seeds and roast until they pop up and keep them aside.
• Heat 1/2 tsp oil and add methi seeds,cumin seeds and red chillies(both the varieties) and roast until they are red in color and keep them aside.
• Heat 1/4 tsp oil and add grated dry coconut and roast for half a minute until it is warm.Add tamarind to it and slightly warm it up.
• Cool all the ingredients and let them come to room temperature.
• Grind chana dal,methi seeds,coriander seeds,sesame seeds,cumin seeds,red chillies with salt to a powder.
• Add roasted groundnuts,grated coconut and tamarind and grind again to a coarse powder.
• Store the powder in an air-tight container.This stays good for 1-2 months.

Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp curry powder on any cooked vegetable like brinjal,tindora and ladies finger curries.You can even stuff those vegetables with the curry powder and shallow fry in oil.
Notes:

• This is a multi purpose curry powder which can be used for various stir fry of vegetables like brinjal, tindora and ladies finger curries.Stir fry brinjals/tindora/ladies finger and sprinkle this spice powder at the end and add extra salt required.
• You can even stuff the mixture in brinjals/tindora/ladies fingers and shallow fry in oil.
• You can even use for vegetable curries like french beans,broad beans,cluster beans,yard long beans ,carrots,beetroot,cabbage and cauliflower.