Sambar podi / powder

 My MIL use to prepare this powder that can be used for Kuzhambu, Satramudhu  & karamathu.Instead of virali manjal,You can directly add a pinch of turmeric powder to your sambar or rasam.

Ingredients :

Thuvaram paruppu / Toor Dhal - 1 cup

Kadalai Paruppu / Channa Dhal - 1/2 cup

Dhaniya / Coriander seeds - 2 cups

Red Chillies - 25nos

Milagu / Black Pepper - 1/4 cups

Jeera / Cummin Seeds -1/4 cups

Curry leaves - 2 twigs
Virali manjal - 10 nos

Method:

Sun dry all the above ingredients in a hot sunny day.If you stay abroad like me where you are not able to sun dry the ingredients, dry roast all the ingredients and let it cool to room temperature.The curry leaves should be so dry that you can crush it.Now grind this to a coarse powder.It can be prepared in bulk and kept for months when you preserve them in dry canisters.   

Coriander / dhaniya powder

Dhaniya (coriander) or kothamalli verai is a good anti-oxidant and aids digestion.This powder is used in a number of dishes like ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu,podi-potakaramathu,etc.It can be kept for long when you preserve them in dry storage containers.You can even enjoy it with just plain rice.
Ingredients:
Urad dhal / Ulutham paruppu - 1/2 cup
Gram dhal / Kadalai paruppu - 1/2 cup
Coriander seeds / dhaniya / kothamalli verai - 1 cup
Black pepper / Milagu - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly - 4 nos
Asafoetida / Perungayam - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Method:
Heat a tsp of oil in a heavy bottom kadai and add all the above ingredients except salt.Roast it till they turn golden colour (care not to burn the dhals) and let them cool.Blend it to a coarse powder along with salt.Mix this powder with hot rice & gingelly oil and serve along with roasted papads.

pepper powder / milagu-jeera podi

I usually prepare this powder and keep it handy as it would be easy while making Venpongal or salads.You can also sprinkle a little in your daily rasam,it would give a nice aroma and flavour to the  rasam.Both of them have medicinal properties, milagu / pepper  is good for common cold and jeera improves your digestion.
Ingredients:
Black pepper / milagu - 50 gms
Cummin seeds / Jeeragam - 50 gms

Method:

Heat a heavy bottom kadai with no oil.First add the milagu and dry roast it until it starts cracking.Now add jeera to the kadai and saute it for a minute.Turn off the stove and transfer the contents to another vessel and let it cool.Now grind the milagu and jeera into a coarse powder.You can even grind the milagu and jeera without roasting them (as raw).This powder can be perserved for months if you store them in dry storage containers.

Paruppu podi

This powder can be easily prepared  with simple ingredients that are readily available at home.This can be kept and used for months if you store them in a dry canister.
Ingredients:
Toor dhal / thuvaram paruppu - 1 cup or aazhakku
Black pepper /Milagu-1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 1 no
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Method:
Dry roast all the above ingredients except salt in a heavy bottom kadai and transfer it to another container.Let it cool and grind them along with salt into fine powder.Mix this powder with rice and a little oil.Vathakuzhambu is a great combination for paruppu podi sadam.

Idlimilagai podi

It`s a predominent side dish for idli, rava idli and dosai. It can be easily prepared and stored at home.
Ingredients:
Urad dhal / ulutham paruppu- 1 cup
Channa dhal / kadalai paruppu - 1/2 cup
Dry Red chilly - 50 grams
Asafoetida / perungayam - 1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional )
Salt - to taste
Method:
Heat a heavy bottom kadai.Add 1/2 tbsp of oil and fry all the ingredients except salt.When the dhals turn golden colour,turn off the stove and transfer the ingredients to another container.Let it cool for atleast half an hour.When it cools down to room temperature,blend it into a coarse powder along with salt.Mix 1 tsp of this powder along with a tsp of sesame oil and serve.