Thengai Podi (Spicy Coconut Powder)

Thengai podi is like a chutney powder and goes well with steamed rice. This is also served as side dish for idli, dosa, curd rice etc., This is prepared with fresh coconut or dried coconut which is called kopra. Many spices and legumes are added in this. I add some coriander seeds, few curry leaves along with other spices to give nice flavor, taste and also to digest easily. This can be preserved for more than 10 days out side fridge and in fridge 2 to 3 weeks. If kopra is used you can keep it for more than a month.

Coconut is known as Thengai in Tamil and as Nariyal in Hindi.

Ingredients

• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Red chilli – 6 no
• Bengal gram and urad dal – handful each
• Coriander seed – 1 table spoon
• Asafetida – peanut size
• Curry leaves – 4 to 5 no
• Salt – as per taste
• Oil – little for frying the ingredients

Method

• Fry red chilies in few drops of oil till crisp and remove; break asafetida into tiny pieces and fry in few drops of oil and remove; fry curry leaves till crisp and remove.
• Roast Bengal gram and urad dal in few drops of oil; when half roasted add coriander seeds and roast till red in colour.

• Dry roast grated coconut till red or slight brown colour to remove the entire moisture.

• Now all the roasted ingredients are ready for grinding.

• In a blender add red chilli, Bengal gram, urad dal, asafetida, salt, curry leaves and powder it coarsely.

• Now add roasted coconut and run the mixer for few seconds till all mix together and ground coarsely.

• Now tasty Thengai Podi (Spicy Coconut Powder) is ready.

Tips

• Preserve it in an a air-tight container.