Three Herbs Multipurpose Spice Powder

Podi / Powder Varieties 41 comments

‘The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison’

Ann Wigmore

Three Herbs Multipurpose Spice Powder – a healthy and versatile spice blend made from fresh culinary herbs, lentils and spices. As the title suggests, this is a multipurpose herb spice powder with an aromatic flavour and grainy texture. When sprinkled on select dishes, it enhances the flavour & texture, and increases the nutritional profile of the dish.

Ingredients:

Curry Leaveshandful
Coriander leaveshandful
Mint leaveshandful
Urad dhal3 tablespoon
Channa dhal1 1/2 tablespoon
Red chilli5 to 6
Sesame seeds (equal quantities of white & black)2 tablespoon
Hing / Asafoetida1/4 th teaspoon
Oil1/2 to 1 teaspoon
Saltto taste

Step by Step Instructions:

  • Wash the curry leaves, coriander leaves and mint leaves thoroughly and dry it on a tissue paper. Dry it thoroughly until there is no moisture. Finely chop the herbs. For coriander leaves, include the edible part of the stem too.
  • Heat a pan, add the urad dhal and channa dhal. Sauté the lentils in low to medium flame. When the lentils are about to change colour, add the red chillies. Add 1/4 th teaspoon of hing. Sauté in low flame until the lentils turn slightly golden brown in colour. Do not allow the lentils to turn dark brown or black colour as this will alter the taste of the spice powder. Transfer the roasted contents to a plate and allow it to cool down.
  • To the pan, add the white and black sesame seeds. Do not add oil. Dry roast the sesame seeds in high flame until the seeds splutter or until the white seeds turn slightly brown in colour. Transfer the roasted sesame seeds to a separate plate and allow it cool.
  • To the pan, add the 3 herbs – curry leaves, coriander leaves and mint leaves. With the flame low, stir the leaves every now and then. Roast the herbs / leaves until they turn crisp. When pressed between fingers the leaves should break. Transfer the roasted leaves to a separate plate and allow it to cool.
  • Transfer the roasted lentils and red chillies to a blender and give a pulse until the lentils are partially broken and powdered.
  • To the above contents, add the roasted sesame seeds and roasted herbs. Grind it to a coarse powder. Do not grind it to a fine powder.
  • Store this Three Herbs Multipurpose Spice Powder in an airtight container. The shelf life of this spice powder is approximately one month. If there is any moisture in the herbs, then this will decrease the shelf life.

How to use this Three Herbs Multipurpose Spice Powder ?

  • This healthy spice powder can be served with steamed rice and a dash of ghee or sesame oil.
  • Sprinkle a teaspoon of this spice blend while making South Indian & North Indian dry curries / porial / Kootu at the end. This would enhance the flavour of the curry and boosts the nutritional value of the dish.
  • Add a teaspoon or more of this herbal spice blend to the regular coconut chutney before grinding and grind it the usual way. This will add in some fresh aromatic flavour and colour to the regular chutney.
  • Throw in a teaspoon of this multipurpose spice powder on chat dishes.
  • Sprinkle a teaspoon of this healthy green mix on to salads.

Notes:

  • Take extra caution to thoroughly dry all the three herbs. You can also dry the herbs naturally by keeping it in the sun for few hours.
  • While roasting the spices, be careful not to char the lentils. This will make the spice powder bitter.
  • If you do not have black sesame seeds, then just double the quantity of white sesame seeds. You can also skip adding the sesame seeds. But adding them does enhance the taste and boosts the nutritional value.

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41 comments

  10. Your posts always makes me guilty becauenul not a very good cook🥰🥰🥰i love your recipes and ill alwsy come back to this posts whenever I’m preparing something

    Liked by 4 people

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  14. Wonderful 🙂 I love to experiment with chutney powders. Than you for recipe. Some time ago to the basic recipe I used betel leaves. We liked the flavour. During orange season, I make using orange peel. The taste is very good .

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. Thank you dear. Most of these recipes are passed on from generations in the family. I am just recreating them with few minor changes in preference to my family members. Thank you for your kind words. Appreciate it very much.

      Liked by 2 people

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