Indian Red Gun Powder (Molaha Podi)

From: Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking The following spicy powder is extremely hot, but very tasty and addictive. Some of the ingredients are specialized; you may have to get them from an Indian foods store.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 2  tablespoons channa dal
• 2  tablespoons Urad Dal (white gram beans)
• 15  small  dry red chile
• 1⁄2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 2  tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons brown sugar or 1 1⁄2 tablespoons palm sugar or 1 1⁄2 tablespoons jaggery

Directions

1. Heat the 1 t oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.
2. Add the urad and channa dal and chiles.
3. Fry stirring constantly until the beans begin to turn color, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the asafetida and sesame seeds.
5. Continue frying until the contents of the pan are nicely browned and smell roasted, about 3 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, transfer mixture to a plate and cool completely.
7. Blend in the sugar and salt.
8. Grind the mixture to a powder using a coffee grinder (my preferred method), or a large mortar and pestle or spice mill.
9. The powder should be neither course, nor as fine as flour; it should have a grainy texture.
10. This mixture stays fresh indefinitely if stored in an airtight container in a cool place.
11. Optionally, just before serving, blend a little oil into as much powder as you might use to make a sauce.