Idli karam (idli podi)

About this podi

Idli karam is the podi that turns up on the breakfast plate. Lentils and sesame are roasted and ground with red chilli into a powder that's meant to be loosened, not eaten dry: a spoonful in a small well on the plate, a little oil or ghee poured in, and stirred into a red paste for dipping idli or smearing across a dosa. Sesame gives it a nutty depth and a slight richness that a dal-only podi doesn't have. It's 2 of 3 on our chilli scale. In English it's often nicknamed gunpowder, which says more about its reputation than its heat. Compared with our kandi podi, idli karam is built for breakfast rather than rice, though nobody will stop you mixing it into hot rice too. It contains sesame, so please check the allergen list on this page if that matters for you.

How to enjoy

• Make a small well of idli karam on the plate, pour in a teaspoon of gingelly oil or ghee, stir to a paste and dip your idli.
• Brush a hot dosa with ghee and sprinkle idli karam over it before folding.
• Toss leftover idlis, cut into cubes, with ghee and a spoon of idli karam in a hot pan.
• Sprinkle over uttapam or paniyaram.