This recipe is called “Moong-phalli or nilakadala podi” in South India
A great seasoning for green salads, chicken, and vegetables!
Yield: Approximately 1½ cups
Ingredients:
⅓ cup white sesame seeds, dry-roasted
1 cup roasted peanuts, papery skin removed
1 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1 teaspoon sesame or peanut oil
3 to 4 tablespoons dried curry leaves
5 to 7 dried red chili peppers, such as chili de arbol, broken
Directions:
Ready the dry-roasted sesame seeds. Next, in a moderate-sized cast-
iron or non-stick wok or skillet, heat the oil using moderate
to high heat and stir-fry the chili peppers until seems
slightly darker, approximately one minute. Put in the curry
leaves and asafoetida, and stir for about half a minute.
Allow to cool, then grind using a spice or coffee grinder till
you get a fine powder. Move to a container.
Crudely grind the peanuts and sesame seeds using a spice
of coffee grinder (you will probably need to do this in 2-3
batches). Put into the ground chili pepper mixture and mix
thoroughly. Put inside an airtight vessel and place the
vessel in a cool, dark place, approximately seven days at
room temperature or approximately one year in a fridge.
