GUNPOWDER
( Dhamakedaar Pudiya in Hindi* / Kadale Pudi in Kannada / Pappu Podi in Telugu / Paruppu Podi in Tamil )
*I do not recall the name for
this in Hindi, so I am calling it Dhamakedaar Pudiya meaning “explosive powder OR powder which causes a bang”!
~
A fiery dry powdery concoction
that can reduce even kings to tears.
Its chilli power can knock you
silly but its diehard fans (and they are legion) swear by it.
The uninitiated simply swear when
it touches tongue.
The Name:
Its Kannada name is a friendly
“Kadale Pudi”, its Telugu name is a mild-sounding "Pappu Podi" and
its Tamil name is an equally innocuous "Paruppu Podi" but
it is universally known by the more user-friendly "Gunpowder".
Can be had mixed with hot
plain white rice with dollops of ghee
(clarified butter) or as an accompaniment to sambar and rice (again with generous helpings
of ghee, for ghee is the facilitator of smooth
passage).
It increases the fire
power of any dish it caresses.
Its bark is like a storm warning,
Force 7 to 10, depending upon the chilli.
Its bite is worse than its bark.
In fact, its bite is like a
spark.
The Makings:
Split Chick Peas - Chana Dal /
Kadale Kaalu / Senagalu / Kadalai Paruppu (Cd) - 3
tbsp
Red Gram (Pigeon Pea) - Tur Dal
/ Togiri Belae / Kandi Pappu / Tuvaram Paruppu (Td)
- 1 tbsp
Black Gram - Urad Dal / Uddina
Belae / Mina Pappu / Ulutham Paruppu (Ud) -
3 tbsp
Sesame seeds - Til / Ellu / Nuwulu
/ Ellu, (Ss) - 3 tbsp
Dry Red Guntur Chilli* - Lal Mirchi / Ona
Menasinakai / Yendu Mirchi / Milagai Vatthal (Rc) -
5
Asafoetida* - Hing / Ingu / Ingulu
/ Perungayam (Af) - 1 pinch
(OR Garlic - Lassoon / Bellulli
/ Vellulli / Vellai Poondu - 1 clove, as alternative to Asafoetida)
Cooking Oil (Oi)
– Khana Pakaane ka Teyl / Adige Ennae / Vanta Noona / Samayal Ennai -
1 tbsp
Sugar (Su)
- Cheeni / Sakkarae / Sarkara / Sarkarai - 1 tsp, optional, to reduce
the Fear factor and the Tear factor, not to mention the Rear factor!
Salt (Sa)
- Namak / Uppu / Uppu / Uppu - to taste
*The Chilli:
The dry, red chilli may be of any of the following varieties:
Guntur Yendu Mirchi for Heat, produces Big Bang
effect on Gunpowder
Byadgi
Ona Menasinakai for
Colour, produces Small Bang
Salem Gundu Milagai for moderate colour, produces moderate
whimper
Kashmiri Mirch (or
Degi Mirch) for
mild fruity flavour, produces mild simper
The Guntur is recommended for
maximum incendiary effect but you may opt for any of the above candidates depending upon your own fire fighting capabilities.
The Hing Thing:
Asafoetida.
Great spice.
Of Iranian origin, now proudly
Indian.
Has a strong, pungent odour
but in cooked dishes gives a smooth, full flavour.
Used in tiny quantities, its
aroma and flavour can lift food to a different level.
Is called "Devil's
Dung" by lesser fans and "Food of the Gods" by greater fans.
Use too much of it and you may
need an exhaust fan.
The Method:
Pour the cooking oil into a vaanali * and heat till medium
hot.
Add all the makings (except sugar
and salt) and lightly fry, stirring all the while.
Remove, add sugar and
salt and grind to a fine powder.
Store in an airtight container
away from children, pets, poets and senior citizens.
*The Vaanali: Wok / Kadaai (Kadahi) / Baanali
/ Baandli / Vaanali
Yeh kya hai re? Yeno idu? Yemi ra
idi? Enna da idu?
The vaanali is nothing but a kadaai or a wok, the domestic model varying from
about 9" to about 12" in diameter.
Some variants are provided with
two ears to handle.
Traditionally made of iron (not
just the ears but the whole vessel), but nowadays all sorts of pretenders are
available in the market.
Vaanali makers are a special breed.
Some of the shops in
Tiruchirapalli where I found the best vaanalis,
kadaais or woks,
while hunting for the best paalgova (sweetened and thickened milk or khova), are
Akasha Vaanali
Tiruchi Vaanali Nilayam
The Kadaai Kadai
The Wokky Tokky Shoppy
The Shop While You Wok and
The Wok While You Tok
You can shop till you droop but
don't drop the vaanali (or the kadaai or the wok) on your toe or you won't be
able to wok, er.., I mean, walk.
The Test:
The test is in the taste.
Take one pinch, put it on the
tongue, preferably your own tongue, not someone else's, stand still and
experience.
There will be an
initial floating sensation.
This will be followed by a Twang! and a Bang!!
The bang may be Big or Small, or
a Whimper or a Simper, depending on the chilli.
The Warning:
Statutory Warning: DO NOT BREATHE
WHILE TESTING.
Breathing may produce Big Bang.
Or Small Bang. Or Whimper. Or Simper. Depends.
The Reaction:
Oi + Heat + 3Cd + 1Td +
3Ud + 3Ss + 5Rc + 0.1Af + 0.1Su + Sa + Air = BIG BANG! (Or SMALL
BANG! Or WHIMPER! Or SIMPER! Depends.)
The Trial:
Take one cup of hot cooked rice
on a plate.
Add one liberal teaspoon of
ghee.
To be on the safer side, add one
more liberal teaspoon of ghee.
Sprinkle two teaspoons of
gunpowder over the rice. Be liberal at your own risk.
Keep nose away while sprinkling
(the nose should not get even an inkling of the sprinkling or it may lead to
calamity in the twinkling of your eye).
Mix well.
Eat.
Enjoy.
Wipe nose and eyes frequently.
Keep water handy.
The End
That's all.
Samaapth.
Mukhthaaya.
Selavu.
Mutrum.
Khel khatam.
Naatak bandh.
Curtains.
Finis.
La fin.
El fin.
Finis.
La fin.
El fin.
Finito.
- Sib Bahut Dur
© Shiva Kumar
