Nuvvula Podi | Roasted Sesame Powder from Andhra Pradesh
Aruna
Nuvvula Podi is a roasted sesame powder from Andhra Pradesh. It is a staple in my home and I use it to flavour stir-fries, tamarind rice, lemon rice, or then relish it by mixing it with hot steamed rice and sesame oil.
Add the 1 cup sesame seeds and dry roast them till they start to change colour.
Transfer the roasted sesame seeds to a plate to cool.
To the same wok, add 6 to 8 spicy red chillies, and (optional) 2 to 3 bydagi chillies and dry roast till they change colour. I add bydagi chillies for the nice colour they impart to the Nuvvula Podi.
Transfer the chillies to the same plate that holds the sesame seeds and let the mix cool.
When the seeds have cooled to room temperature, in a large grinder jar, grind to a coarse powder. Be careful not to grind too much as you will have an oily lump on your hands.