Hot idlis, a spoon of fiery podi, a pool of gingelly oil. Is there a better breakfast?
Now imagine that same podi with a handful of moringa leaves roasted in. That's murungai keerai podi: the classic South Indian idli podi (also called chutney powder or "gunpowder") with an earthy, green depth and a nutrition boost. Here's how to make it at home, and the best ways to enjoy it.
Why Add Moringa to Your Podi?
Murungai keerai is Tamil for moringa (drumstick) leaves, and they're naturally rich in iron, calcium, vitamins and antioxidants. A review in Food Science and Human Wellness even notes that moringa contains more iron than spinach (source). Roasting the leaves into podi is one of the tastiest ways to eat your greens without trying.
Ingredients (Makes About 1 Cup)
- 2 cups fresh moringa leaves, picked from the stems (or 3 tablespoons moringa leaf powder)
- ¼ cup urad dal
- ¼ cup chana dal
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons peanuts (optional, for crunch)
- 8–10 dried red chillies (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- A sprig of curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon oil
How to Make Murungai Keerai Podi
1. Dry the moringa leaves
Wash the leaves and dry them completely on a clean cloth. Then roast on low heat, stirring often, until crisp enough to crumble (8–10 minutes). Shortcut: using moringa powder? Skip this and add it in step 5.
2. Roast the dals
Dry-roast the urad dal and chana dal separately on low-medium heat until golden and aromatic.
3. Roast the seeds and spices
Roast the sesame seeds until they pop, then the peanuts until lightly browned. Heat the oil, fry the red chillies until crisp, then add cumin, peppercorns and curry leaves for a few seconds. Switch off the heat and stir in the hing.
4. Cool completely
Spread everything on a plate to cool. Grinding while warm makes the podi clump.
5. Grind
Pulse everything with salt (and moringa powder, if using) in short bursts to a coarse, slightly grainy powder. A little texture is what makes great podi.
Store in a dry, airtight glass jar and always use a dry spoon. Homemade podi keeps for about a month.
5 Delicious Ways to Eat Moringa Podi
- Classic idli and dosa: make a well in 2 tablespoons of podi, pour in gingelly oil or melted ghee, mix and dip.
- Podi idli: toss bite-sized idlis in hot ghee and a generous dusting of podi. A lunchbox hero.
- Podi rice: hot rice + a spoon of ghee + podi = a 2-minute comfort meal.
- Podi dosa: sprinkle podi over the dosa on the tawa, drizzle ghee and fold.
- Fusion noodles: stir podi into butter-garlic noodles for a spicy, nutty twist.
No Time to Roast? Try SWIIPD Moringa Idli Podi
Love the taste but not the roasting and grinding? SWIIPD Moringa Idli & Dosa Podi is made the traditional way, so you get homestyle flavour straight from the pouch:
- Slow-roasted urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, sesame, red chillies and spices, with dried moringa leaves
- 21g plant protein and 12g fibre per 100g
- No MSG, artificial preservatives or colours
- Vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO
- Resealable zip pouch to keep every spoon crunchy
- Shipped across India and worldwide, perfect for missing home food abroad
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use moringa powder instead of fresh leaves?
Yes. Use about 3 tablespoons of moringa leaf powder in place of 2 cups of fresh leaves and add it while grinding. It's especially handy abroad, where fresh murungai keerai is hard to find.
Is murungai keerai podi very spicy?
Homemade, it's as spicy as you make it: use fewer chillies or milder Kashmiri chillies for a family-friendly version.
Does SWIIPD podi contain allergens?
Yes, it contains peanuts and sesame.
Bring Home the Taste of a South Indian Breakfast
👉 Try SWIIPD Moringa Idli Podi → Ready when your idlis are. New to moringa? Read 7 easy ways to take moringa powder daily.
Source: Gopalakrishnan L. et al., "Moringa oleifera: A review on nutritive importance and its medicinal application", Food Science and Human Wellness, 2016.