Lentil Powder ( Parrappu Podi )

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Lentil Powder is a pretty uninspiring name for something which has taste,nutrition and convenience all rolled into one.This is a staple in most South Indian homes and is good to have on hand on days when time is short and making an elaborate lunch or dinner is not possible.This is served by sprinkling this powder on hot cooked rice (either brown or white) and adding a few drops of ghee(clarified butter) or sesame oil and a fragrant rice dish is ready.

This brilliantly simple powder is made of only four ingredients even including the salt and it can be prepared and stored in an airtight container easily for six months and even a little longer than that.This recipe can easily be doubled to make a bigger quantity of this powder.

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Ingredients and method to make the lentil powder.

1/2 cup red gram lentil (Tur Dhal)
2 tsp whole black pepper
4 dry red chillies
salt to taste ( I used about 1 tsp)

Dry roast the red gram lentil until it starts turning reddish and there is some aroma from it.

Dry roast the whole black pepper and the red chillies.

Cool all of this and powder it in a spice grinder or regular blender until mostly fine.

Add salt to taste and mix well and store in a clean dry air tight container.

Serve with hot rice and a few drops of sesame oil or clarified butter(ghee) ,papads and any gravy curry or with just yogurt on the side.

Approximately use about 1 tsp of this powder for about 1/4 cup of rice.

Variation :This can also be made using split mung bean (split moong dhal) instead of red gram,with all other proportions the same.