Karuveppilai Paruppu Podi | Curry Leaves Lentil Powder Recipe | Gluten Free and Vegan Recipe

Hi Supermoms,

Whenever I have to travel for a few days , I usually prepare some ready to eat dishes for my better half so that it will motivate him to eat at home. Apart from grinding idli , adai and dosa batters, I also make podis( spice powders) and thokku ( spice paste) that can be mixed along with rice and enjoyed with some fried crispies /vadams. 

This time, before my Kerala trip I made a fresh batch of paruppu podi and thokku. First, let me share about the Karuveppilai paruppu podi .

' Paruppu' means 'Dal' or Lentil in Tamil Language.' Karuveppilai' means 'curry leaves'. Just a few ingredients are dry roasted and ground to make this podi. The variation I brought to the classic paruppu podi recipe is that I added curry leaves to it.  

The podi was flavourful and at the same time delicious. You can wash the curry leaves well and spread them out in a kitchen towel to dry completely. 

Karuveppilai Paruppu Podi Recipe | Lentil powder Recipe:

Preparation time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Makes : Approximately 170 gm 

Storage: Keeps good upto 2 months when stored in a clean, dry, odour free air tight container

1 cup = 250 ml cup 

Ingredients :

1 cup pigeon peas ( split)/ tuvar dal/arhar dal

1/2 cup curry leaves ( washed and dried completely)

1 teaspoon peppercorns ( whole)

4-5 dry red chillies ( I used Guntur chillies, adjust according to your preferred spice levels)

salt to taste 

Method :

1. In a kadai/wok or a wide pan, dry roast the tuvar dal till they turn light brown.

Chef tip : Keep stirring so that they brown uniformly. Always roast on low flame.

2. Transfer the roasted dal into the jar of a mixer or a plate and place the pan back on low flame.

3. Add the peppercorns and dry red chillies.

4. Fry till they turn fragrant and transfer them to the mixer jar.

5. In the heat of the pan, add curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

Chef tip : This step is ensure that the leaves are completely dry. 

6. Once cool, add salt and grind all the ingredients into a coarse powder.

Chef tip : Some grind it very fine and some like it coarse. The Andhra Gun powder is more smooth. This paruppu podi tastes best when ground a little coarse.

7. Once the podi cools completely, transfer it to a clean and odour free container. 

Your delicious and healthy Karuveppilai paruppu podi is ready ! Enjoy it with rice or as a side dish along with dosai or idli. 

Whenever you get fresh curry leaves, you can make off the Karuveppilai podi and use it on the days you do not have fresh leaves.

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom