Podi
A dry South Indian condiment of roasted lentils, chilli and spices, eaten with idli, dosa and rice.
Also: gunpowder, idli podi, milagai podi, chutney pudi
Podi is the Tamil and Telugu word for powder. Idli podi, nicknamed gunpowder, is a coarse mix of roasted urad and chana dal, dried red chillies, sesame seeds, asafoetida and salt, ground and mixed with sesame oil or ghee into a paste for dipping idli and dosa. Other podis use curry leaf, garlic, coconut, flaxseed or peanuts. They are made in batches and keep for weeks, which made them a handy food for travel. The mix of roasted lentils gives nutty sweetness and a bit of crunch. Podi is part of daily meals, spooned on hot rice with ghee.