Indian Red Gun Powder (Molaha Podi) - cooking recipe

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 1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar or 1 1/2 tablespoons jaggery

Preparation

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