Ingredients
1/2 cup [70 g] chana dal
1/3 cup [44 g] white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp skinned urad dal
20 whole Kashmiri chilies (about 30 g), stemmed
20 fresh or dried curry leaves
1 tsp asafetida (hing)
salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large, dry stainless-steel skillet over medium heat, and toast the chana dal, sesame seeds, and urad dal until golden brown and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.
- In the same skillet, toast the Kashmiri chilies and curry leaves until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to the plate and cool completely.
- Grind the cooled ingredients with the asafetida in a food processor or blender until a fine powder forms. You can sift the powder through a fine mesh strainer for a fine consistency. Season with salt and store for up to 6 months in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You can make this hotter by using Bydagi chilies instead of Kashmiri chilies. Or cut back the chilies by half or discard the seeds.
- It is essential to cool the spices before blending to avoid condensation in the blender or processor.
- For an alternate version, use the Gunpowder recipe from The Flavor Equation – it uses nuts instead of dals but still packs a powerful punch.