Flaxseed milagai podi ("gun powder")
The health benefits of flaxseeds are well known and I keep looking for different ways in which to include this in our diet. When we have oats for breakfast I add a spoonful of flax powder. Flaxseed has a high fiber content, is one of the best plant based source for omega-3s and has anti-inflammatory properties. But it also has a relatively short shelf life. When exposed to air it gets oxidised quickly and develops a rancid smell and loses much of the benefits. This loss is more in ground flaxseeds than in whole ones.
Because of this I always make small quantities of flaxseed for my oats and even when I make milagai podi I make only a small amount.
Ingredients
Flaxseed – 3/4 cup
Chana dal – 1/4 cup
Urad dal – 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds – 1/4 cup
Dried red chillies – 7-8 (to taste)
Curry leaves – a fistful
Salt – to taste
Sugar – 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Dry roast the dals and when golden brown add the flax seeds also. When done, the flax seeds will start popping. Allow these to cool on a plate. Dry roast sesame seeds till they start popping and add to the flax seeds. Roast the chillies and add them to the flax seed mix also. When cool, grind all the ingredients together along with salt, sugar and asafoetida.
I normally use byadagi dried chillies (from Karnataka) for colour and the round dried chillies for the spice. So I tend to use a combination of these two in my cooking.
Store the flaxseed milagai podi in cool and dry place. Mine is stored in the fridge. Use like regular milagai podi for dosai, idli and adai.