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Thengaipodi or Chammandhipodi - A Spicy Coconut Chutney Powder (GF, V)

My two weeks away from home meant that I did no cooking at all. Now I am back, I still haven't got back into my routine like it used to be before the vacation happened. I cook, and we eat but I haven't been taking pictures to blog about it all.
Course condiments
Cuisine Indian
Servings 1 jar

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups coconut fresh grated
  • 3 tbsps black gram lentils split (urad dal)
  • 4 to 5 chillies dried red (increase or decrease to suit taste)
  • tamarind small bit (about size of a grape) of
  • 1/4 tsp asafetida powder
  • to taste salt

Instructions
 

  • Put the coconut into a wok/ pan and toast over low to medium heat, stirring frequently, till the coconut is quite brown. Take care to see it doesn't burn.
  • Just before the coconut has browned and is ready to take off the fire, add the red chillies. Ensure the chillies don't darken or burn while sautxe9ing. Keep aside.
  • In the same wok/ pan, heat the 1 tsp of oil. Add the lentils and sautxe9 till golden brown in colour. Add the asafetida powder, stir a couple of times and take the pan off the heat. Cool to room temperature.
  • Put the toasted coconut, red chillies, browned lentils and asafetida powder, salt and tamarind into the jar of your mixer/ grinder/ blender and grind to a slightly coarse powder. When done, the coconut will become finer with a slightly gritty feel from the lentils.
  • Bottle and store at room temperature (will keep for a few days) but refrigerate if keeping for longer.
  • Serve with warm rice and ghee (mix a couple of spoons with rice and ghee) or with yogurt and rice (this is my absolute favourite way of eating this chutney powder). You can also serve it alongside idlis or dosas, mixed with a little oil, instead of milagaipodi.