Learn how to make easy side dish Verkadalai Podi - Palli Podi recipe with step by step pictures. Delicious roasted Peanut Chutney Powder goes well with both idli & dosa!
Verkadalai Podi is an amazingly simple make-ahead side dish that goes well just as it is with hot idlis or crispy dosa. In Andhra, it is quite popularly known as Palli Podi or Palli Karam Podi. With just a handful of ingredients that are a staple in any Indian kitchen, this roasted peanut chutney powder can be made in a jiffy. If you have roasted peanuts, it literally takes 5 mins to make this chutney podi. Even otherwise, it just takes less than 20mins to make this from scratch and it can be stored for upto 2 weeks. It is quite flavorful and can also be used to spice up any vegetable stir-fries too.
Verkadalai Podi – Palli Podi
Chutney powders or gun powders (as they are known outside India) can be made with a variety of ingredients. The most commonly used lentils are urad dal and chana dal. In the traditional idli podi recipe, I also use sesame seeds. Apart from these, cumin seeds and coriander seeds are also used as flavoring ingredients. From curry leaves to garlic cloves to flax seeds to melon seeds, there are many variations to the basic idli-dosa chutney powder recipes.
In this Andhra Style Verusenaga Karam Podi recipe, the main ingredient is roasted peanuts. With roasted red chillies, garlic cloves and cumin seeds, this is such a simple but highly delicious preparation that goes well as a side dish with almost all south Indian breakfast recipes.
Tips & Important Notes To Make Perfect Peanut Chutney Powder
Verkadalai Podi is a very simple recipe that is beginner-friendly and can be made by anyone in less than few minutes. Here are some of the tips and notes to make it perfectly every single time.
- Roasting the peanuts is a crucial step in making this chutney powder. If you have roasted peanuts available, it takes down the effort entirely. But otherwise, spend some time patiently roasting the peanuts until they begin to pop. To get the perfect color, stir them continuously until they are evenly roasted from all sides.
- Wait for all the roasted ingredients to come to room temperature, else there is a chance of peanuts releasing oils when ground.
- Grind all the ingredients except roasted peanuts smooth and then just pulse the peanuts until coarsely ground. This will make the chutney powder texturally good.
Variations
A few variations that could be tried with the same base recipe of verkadalai chutney powder are –
- Garlic cloves are optional, skip them if you are not a fan of garlic. But they are such taste enhancers, really.
- Along with cumin seeds, coriander seeds can also be added while roasting.
- A few curry leaves can be added towards the end of roasting process to be fried until crisp and then ground along with rest of the ingredients.
- A small half marble-sized piece of tamarind can be roasted in hot pan, after frying all the ingredients and then ground along with roasted red chillies. This adds a mild tanginess to the chutney powder.
Storing & Serving Suggestions
Store Peanut Chutney Powder in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks. It can be served as a side dish for idli, dosa and other South Indian breakfast recipes. As this chutney podi has a nutty flavor, it is optional to add oil or ghee to it. It can served as it is too. This powder can also be mixed with hot rice and ghee. And it can also be added to spice up vegetable stir-fries.
Checkout other chutney powder and podi recipes
- Idli Podi
- Copra/Dry Coconut Chutney Powder
- Moringa Leaves Chutney Powder
- Curry Leaves Chutney Powder
- Kandi Podi/Andhra Special Gun Powder
- Garlic Chutney Powder
Verkadalai Podi Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
In a thick bottomed heavy pan, add raw peanuts. Start frying them on low flame.
Continuously keep stirring them for 10-12 mins on low flame until they begin to pop and they are evenly roasted with the skin color changing to the deeper shade of brown compared to the raw peanuts. Remove from heat and allow them to cool down.
In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 6-8 garlic cloves. Roast for 2-3 mins on low flame and when the cumin seeds start to change color, remove from heat and set them aside to cool down.
In the same pan, heat a few drops of oil and add 5-6 dried red chillies.
Fry on low flame until they begin to change color and develop dark spots. Remove heat and allow them to cool down.
In a blender add roasted red chillies, cumin seeds and garlic cloves along with salt as needed.
Grind into a smooth powder.
Now add roasted peanuts.
Pulse for a few times until the peanuts are coarsely ground.
Store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks. Serve as a side dish for idli, dosa and other South Indian breakfast recipes. This can also be mixed with hot rice and ghee. And can be added to spice up vegetable stir-fries.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the number of red chillies per spice preference.
- Don’t grind the peanuts in high speed, there is a chance that the peanuts release oil.
- Don’t store this podi for more than 2 weeks, as it starts to smell slightly old.
Recipe Card
📖 Recipe
Verkadalai Podi | Palli Podi | Peanut Chutney Powder
Equipment
- Thick Bottomed Heavy Pan
- Blender
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
- ½ cup Raw Peanuts
- 5 Dried Red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 6-8 Garlic Cloves
- Few Drops of Oil
- Salt as needed
Instructions
- In a thick bottomed heavy pan, add raw peanuts. Start frying them on low flame.
- Continuously keep stirring them for 10-12 mins on low flame until they begin to pop and they are evenly roasted with the skin color changing to the deeper shade of brown compared to the raw peanuts. Remove from heat and allow them to cool down.
- In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 6-8 garlic cloves. Roast for 2-3 mins on low flame and when the cumin seeds start to change color, remove from heat and set them aside to cool down.
- In the same pan, heat a few drops of oil and add 5-6 dried red chillies.
- Fry on low flame until they begin to change color and develop dark spots. Remove heat and allow them to cool down.
- In a blender add roasted red chillies, cumin seeds and garlic cloves along with salt as needed.
- Grind into a smooth powder.
- Now add roasted peanuts.
- Pulse for a few times until the peanuts are coarsely ground.
- Store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks. Serve as a side dish for idli, dosa and other South Indian breakfast recipes. This can also be mixed with hot rice and ghee. And can be added to spice up vegetable stir-fries.
Notes
- Adjust the number of red chillies per spice preference.
- Don’t grind the peanuts in high speed, there is a chance that the peanuts release oil.
- Don’t store this podi for more than 2 weeks, as it starts to smell slightly old.
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