Milaga Podi

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad dal

1/2 cup Coriander seeds

4tbsp Chana dal

1tbsp Black sesame seeds

12 Dry red chilli

6 Curry leaves

2 garlic pods

piece of Tamarind

Pinch of Asafoetida

Sea salt

2tbsp Oil

How to:

• In a skillet, heat oil in a low flame, add dry red chillies and roast until you sense the aroma.
• Now add the chana dal and roast till it turns slightly brown.

• Then add the urad dal, followed by sesame seeds, tamarind and curry leaves.

• Finally add asafoetida and roast for another min.
• Let the mixture completely cool.
• Dry roast the coriander seeds separately and keep it aside.

• Now coarse grind the mixture along with roasted coriander, garlic and salt.

Mix sesame oil with the podi and you are good to go with idly or dosa.

Store it in the fridge for freshness.

Curd/Yogurt

Ingredients:

4 cups 2% Milk

1/4 cup Yogurt (store bought)

How to:

• Microwave the milk in oven safe bowl for 6 mins. Cooking time may vary depending on the watts of your microwave oven.

Or You can also bring the milk to a boil in the kitchen stove.

• When the milk is lukewarm, add the yogurt bought from Indian store.
• Its better to insert a clean finger inside the milk to find the warmth before adding the yogurt.
• Stir the milk and keep it inside the convection oven with oven light on.
• Keep it overnight.

Home-made curd is set.

During winter times, its really tough to set the curd,

• You can place the milk bowl overnight inside the convection oven with oven light on.
• If you don't have oven light, place the milk bowl in the convection oven and bake at 400 degrees for 2 mins, and let the bowl stay in the warmth overnight.

As Curd is a staple in Indian homes, many buy yogurt from stores as the curd doesn't set well during cold weather. Now you can try it at home.