Gunpowder spice, also known as idli podi or milagai podi, is not a spice blend but instead a dry chutney found in South India. It’s most often eaten with dosa or steamed rice cakes called idli. Around our house we just call it “fun dip.” I reach for this stuff daily to dunk apple wedges, spicy radishes, and crunchy cucumbers in, or to sprinkle over hard-boiled eggs and roasted potatoes. The toasted lentils and seeds give the gunpowder a nutty and savory flavor, while there’s just enough salt, sugar, and chili to keep you coming back for more. This recipe uses a mix of chana dal and urad dal, which are both hulled and split lentils. Since they are already processed, they readily toast and blitz into a powder. This won’t work with a whole lentil.

　　There are no measurements for the final seasoning, because how salty, sweet, and spicy you want this gunpowder spice is a personal decision and you need to go on this journey alone. Take your time: Add the salt, sugar, and chili a fat pinch at a time and taste after every addition. You want the chili heat to hit you first, with the sugar rounding out that fire, and enough salt to make everything pop. Serve with raw or cooked vegetables, with fruit, over eggs, on a savory yogurt bowl, in a dosa, or sprinkled on buttered roti.

　　This recipe was excerpted from ‘Start Here' by Sohla El-Waylly, one of our top cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Chana Dal

　　$16 At Amazon

　　Urad Dal

　　$15 At Amazon

　　White Sesame Seeds

　　$7 At Amazon

　　Large Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

　　$14 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 1 cup

　　¼ cup chana dal (hulled and split chickpeas)

　　¼ cup urad dal (hulled and split black gram)

　　¼ cup white sesame seeds

　　¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

　　1 Tbsp. cumin seeds

　　1 Tbsp. flaxseeds

　　20 curry leaves

　　Coconut sugar or brown sugar

　　Kosher salt

　　Kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne pepper

　　Pinch of MSG (optional)

　　

Step 1

In a small skillet, toast the chana dal over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it’s golden brown and smells toasty. Transfer to a plate to cool. Toasting each ingredient separately, repeat with the urad dal, sesame seeds, coconut flakes, cumin, flaxseeds, and curry leaves until golden, aromatic, and crisp. Transfer them to the same plate as you go. (Each ingredient will take a different amount of time to toast, so let sight and smell be your guide.)

　　

Step 2

Once cool, in a spice grinder, blend all the toasted ingredients in batches until they form a coarse powder, similar in size to bread crumbs or coarse cornmeal. Transfer to a medium bowl.

　　

Step 3

Season with sugar, salt, chili powder, and MSG (if using) to taste. It should taste savory, spicy, and slightly sweet. Store gunpowder spice at room temperature for up to 6 weeks.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Curry leaves are an herb and are not at all related to curry powder. They are, however, related to citrus and have an incomparable musky and pungent aroma. They are often crisped in oil or toasted before adding to a dish. You can find fresh curry leaves in Indian or specialty grocery stores and keep them in the freezer until you need them.

　　Excerpted from Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook © 2023 by Sohla El-Waylly. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Amazon or Penguin Random House.