Chinta Chiguru(Chintaku) Podi | Tamarind Leaves Powder

My pantry is always loaded with various podi mixes and pickles which comes very handy on those days when I am very lazy to cook anything.All I need to do is to prepare some plain rice and can eat these powders and pickles mixed with hot rice and ghee which is actually a delicious meal which I crave at times.

I get most of my podi(powders) supply from my mom and pickles from my MIL on my every visit.The varieties of podis(powders) which can be eaten with rice are really vast and my mom makes very nice podis.She makes lot of other varieties of podis like Kothimir Podi(coriander leaves podi), Pudina Podi, Curry leaves Podi, Bitter gourd podi, Garlic podi, Kandi podi, Munagaaku Podi(Drumstick leaves powder) to name a few.Her Bitter gourd podi is a big hit among all those who have tasted it and have made them to change their opinion about biter gourds after they tasted her's.

Chintaku(Tamarind leaves) podi is really tasty with the natural hint of tangyness it gets from tamarind leaves.We usually store a pack of dried tamarind leaves all through the year and make this podi when ever we want.We even use dried tamarind leaves in this Onion-Chintaku palya which is a nice combo with Rice flour poori(Vadappa).

Chintaku Podi | Tamarind Leaves Podi Recipe:

shelf life: up to a month

Ingredients:

1 heaped cup dried tender Tamarind leaves

6-8 Red chillies

1/3 cup Groundnuts

1 tbsp grated dry Coconut

1 tbsp white Sesame seeds

3-4 Garlic pods with skin(optional)

1 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Use the tender tamarind leaves which are dried in sun until completely dry,might be for 2-3 days consecutively.
• Dry roast groundnuts until the skin turns brown and once they are cool,remove the skin and keep them aside.
• Dry roast sesame seeds and keep them aside.
• Keep the dry coconut in sun for some time or you can even dry roast the grated dry coconut for a minute.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add red chillies and remove them and keep aside.
• In the same kadai add tamarind leaves and fry for 3-4 mins on low flame until they are slightly crisp and keep them aside.Let all these fried ingredients come to room temperature.
• Grind groudnuts,sesame seeds,dry coconut,red chillies and salt to a fine powder.
• Add fried tamarind leaves and grind again to a fine powder.Check the taste and add more salt if required.
• Add garlic pods and run in whipper mode to crush the garlic pods little bit.
• Cool the powder and store it in air tight clean container.

Serve it with hot rice and ghee.

Notes:

1. Adjust red chillies according to your spice level.
2. You can increase the quantity of ground nuts a bit more if you like the taste.
3. It can be stored for up to a month under normal conditions and 2-3 months when refrigerated.