This healthy and delicious flaxseed podi is a great condiment to spice up your meal. Serve it with any thing savory. This recipe is oil-free!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 20 · 20 servings
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • ½ cup flaxseeds ((golden or brown))
  • ¼ cup chana dal ((or roasted gram, chutney dal))
  • ¼ cup urad dal ((or 1 cup peanuts))
  • 3 large garlic cloves ((sliced, discard any sprouts inside))
  • 7 to 8 dried red chilies ((cut down for low heat or increase for more heat))
  • ¾ tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 4 to 5 sprigs curry leaves ((use more or less to preference))
  • ½ teaspoon Sea salt ((more to adjust))
  • Tamarind if you prefer ((I don't use))

Method

How to Make Flaxseed Podi

  1. On a medium to low heat, toast flaxseeds in a heavy bottom pan for 3 to 6 mins, as per your preference. (3 mins for light toast, 6 mins for complete toast, turn off when they splutter). Do not burn. Transfer to a tray to cool down.
  2. Toast chana dal on a medium to low heat until golden and aromatic, remove to another plate.
  3. Same way toast urad and transfer to the chana dal plate. Toast the broken red chilies until crispy. Transfer to the lentil plate.
  4. Toast cumin seeds and garlic separately until the seeds turn aromatic and deep golden. Transfer them to cool.
  5. Toast curry leaves until crispy. Cool all these. Add flaxseed to the grinder and make a fine powder. Remove to the plate.
  6. Grind the rest of the ingredients except garlic, including salt to a fine powder. Add garlic and grind again, followed by flaxseed podi.
  7. Grind briefly to mix well. Taste test and add more salt if you want. Serve flaxseed podi with anything savory - khichdi, stir fry, idli, upma, dosa etc

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.