Podi Masala: Make The South Indian Spice Mix From Scratch

By Garima Johar

July 6, 2026

Whether you want to pair your idlis or dosas with a spicy podi masala, don’t settle for store-bought masalas. Make your own spice mix with this podi masala recipe, free of preservatives.

Ingredients

1 cup urad dal 1/4 cup dried red chillies 2 tablespoons coriander seeds 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon curry leaves 1 teaspoon hing Salt to taste 2 tablespoons oil

Step 1

Heat some oil and dry roast urad dal. Add dried chillies and roast till fragrant.

Step 2

In a separate pan, dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.

Step 3

Once cool, grind all the ingredients till you get a coarse powder. Mix in salt and hing.

Step 4

Store the podi masala in an airtight container and pair it with your South Indian meals.