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Sesame Curry Leaves Powder (Nuvvulu Karivepaku Podi)

A fragrant and flavorful Andhra-style sesame curry leaves powder that combines roasted sesame seeds with aromatic curry leaves and spices. This traditional podi recipe is perfect to sprinkle over rice with ghee, or serve alongside idli and dosa for an authentic South Indian meal.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 31 tbsp (9 g each)
Calories 39 kcal
Protein1 g
Fiber1 g
Fat3 g
Carbohydrates3 g

Equipment

  • Heavy-bottomed pan for roasting
  • Spice grinder or mixi
  • Airtight container for storage

Ingredients
 

For the Sesame Base:

  • 1 cup (150 g) sesame seeds - white sesame seeds

For the Lentil Mix:

  • 2 tablespoon (30 g) urad dal - split black gram
  • 2 tablespoon (30 g) chana dal - split Bengal gram
  • 1 small lemon size (10 g) tamarind - small piece

For the Spice Mix:

  • 9 pieces (9 g) dried red chilies
  • 1 bulb (30 g) garlic - peeled
  • ½ teaspoon (1 g) fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tablespoon (5 g) coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon (9 g) cumin seeds

For the Finishing:

  • 1 cup (15 g) dried curry leaves - cleaned and stems removed
  • 1 tablespoon (16 g) salt - adjust to taste

Instructions
 

Roast the Sesame Seeds:

  • Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 1 cup sesame seeds and roast, stirring frequently, until they turn golden and start making popping sounds (about 5-6 minutes). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
    Golden sesame seeds roasting in heavy-bottomed pan

Roast the Lentils and Spices:

  • In the same pan, add 2 tablespoon urad dal, 2 tablespoon chana dal, and 1 small lemon size tamarind. Roast on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the dals turn light golden.
    Light golden urad dal and chana dal roasting with small tamarind piece in black iron pan
  • Add 9 pieces dried red chilies, 1 bulb garlic, ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, and 1 tablespoon coriander seeds. Continue roasting for another 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
  • Add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and roast for 30 seconds until fragrant. Turn off the heat.
    Brown cumin seeds scattered over aromatic spice mixture in cooking pan

Add Curry Leaves:

  • Immediately add 1 cup dried curry leaves to the hot pan and stir for 15 seconds using the residual heat. The curry leaves should become crisp but retain their color.
    Dark green dried curry leaves being stirred into hot roasted spice mixture with wooden spoon stirring
  • Transfer all the roasted ingredients to a plate and let them cool completely (about 20-30 minutes) before grinding.
    All roasted ingredients spread on steel plate cooling before grinding

Grind and Store:

  • Add the cooled spice mixture and 1 tablespoon salt to a spice grinder or mixi. Pulse to grind into a coarse powder. Add the roasted sesame seeds and pulse briefly to combine without making it too fine.
    Coarse spice mixture being ground in traditional Indian mixi grinder
  • Transfer the sesame curry leaves powder to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 2 months.
    Freshly ground sesame curry leaves powder showing coarse texture and greenish-brown color

Video

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Mix 1-2 tablespoons of this podi with hot rice and a drizzle of ghee or sesame oil. Also delicious sprinkled over idli, dosa, or upma.
Storage Tip: Always use a dry spoon when taking out the powder to prevent moisture from spoiling it.
Roasting Tips: Keep the heat at medium to prevent burning. The sesame seeds should pop and turn golden, while the curry leaves should crisp up without browning.
Variations: You can adjust the number of red chilies according to your spice preference. Some prefer adding a small piece of hing (asafoetida) while roasting.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts
Sesame Curry Leaves Powder (Nuvvulu Karivepaku Podi)
Serving Size
 
1 tablespoon (9 g)
Amount per Serving
Calories
39
% Daily Value*
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
3
g
1
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
0.3
g
0
%
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Potassium
 
42
mg
1
%
Sodium
 
202
mg
9
%
Calcium
 
60
mg
6
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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