Flaxseed Podi (Spiced Alsi Seeds Powder)

This Flax Seed Podi is a perfect side to spice up your meal. It is healthy, nutrition-packed and a delicious way to include flaxseeds in your diet. Flaxseed Podi also known as flaxseed idli podi or chutney pudi, is a South Indian condiment made primarily with flax seeds, lentils and spices.

Flaxseeds are considered as one of the top health foods and are well known for their omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, alpha-linolenic acid and lignans. These seeds have been used in various cuisines in many different ways.

If you have been trying to include flax seeds in your diet, this recipe is a great one to go. It is spicy, nutty, aromatic and addictive!

You really don’t need idli, dosa, upma or uttapam to serve this podi. Sprinkle on anything savory you make – stir fry dishes, roast veggies, khichdi, any dry sabji or upma, semiya etc. Our favorite way is to mix it the South Indian way – with some hot rice and ghee.

Toasted flaxseeds Vs raw – which one is better? This is the biggest question that strikes our minds. I have tried out raw, lightly toasted and well toasted in this recipe. But the flavor of the toasted seeds is really nice.

To cut down the phytic acids in flax seeds, I prefer to toast them. Raw seeds may cause digestive issues so please do your research before using them raw.

Apart from this Flaxseed Podi, you can also add some flaxmeal to your atta to make your chapati or roti. Another way is to use it in Chaas (buttermilk) or Lassi.

About this recipe

This recipe uses flaxseeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, jeera and garlic. In place of lentils, you can also use peanuts and roasted gram. The podi in the first picture was made with peanuts and roasted gram. For a low-fat, zero oil option and for full-flavor, this recipe has been upgraded.

Photo Guide

How to Make Flaxseed Podi (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

1. Here are the ingredients to make the podi.

• ½ cup flaxseeds (golden or brown, alsi)
• ¼ cup chana dal (or roasted gram, chutney dal)
• ¼ cup urad dal (or 1 cup peanuts)
• ¾ tablespoon cumin seeds
• 7 to 8 dried red chilies (cut down for low heat or increase for more heat)
• 4 to 5 sprigs curry leaves (use more or less to preference)
• 3 large garlic cloves (sliced, discard any sprouts inside)
• ½ teaspoon Sea salt (more to adjust)
• Tamarind if you prefer (I don’t use)

2. Clean flaxseeds if required to remove any debris or unwanted particles. Add them to a heavy bottom pan. Begin to toast on a medium to medium-low heat for 3 to 4 mins, stirring often. If you don’t want to toast them longer/completely, you may stop here.

For a nutty aroma: When they begin to splutter turn down the heat a bit and continue to toast them for another 2 mins, without burning. Be extra cautious here as they can burn too fast and taste bitter. It takes me 6 mins from the time the seeds become warm. But it may be different for you, they are just an estimate.

3. Transfer to a cooling tray to cool down. Add chana dal to the pan and toast on a low heat, until golden and aromatic/ nutty. Transfer to a cooling tray, separately from the flaxseeds.

4. Add urad dal and toast until deep golden, nutty and aromatic. Transfer to the same tray as the chana dal.

5. Break the red chilies and toast them on a low heat, until crispy. If you are using the seeds they should turn slightly golden. Transfer to the dal tray to cool down.

6. Add cumin to one side of the pan and garlic to the other side. Toast them separately, on a low/medium heat until cumin seeds turn deep golden and smell nutty. Do not burn. Transfer them to the dal tray, keep the garlic separate.

7. Add the curry leaves to the pan and toast on a medium heat until they turn crispy.

8. Cool all the ingredients.

Make the podi

9. Transfer the flaxseeds to the grinder jar.

10. Make a fine powder, remove to a plate.

11. Add all the other ingredients including salt and excluding garlic.

12. Powder them to a slightly coarse powder and add garlic. If you are using peanuts, make sure you don’t grind them for too long, else they begin to release oil and turn lumpy.

13. Grind again and add the flaxseed podi. Grind once more or simply mix well. Alternately you can also store your flaxseed powder in a separate container and mix with the podi as and when you need. (half tbsp each)

14. Flaxseed podi is ready. Taste test and add more salt if you want. Cool down completely and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Keeps good for 3 months but it is good to use within 2 weeks as the flax meal begins to oxidize. The color of your podi can vary depending on the color of the flaxseeds (golden or brown) and the quantity of red chilies. With brown seeds, it turns out brownish as seen below.

Start with 1 tablespoon a day and slowly you may increase to 2 tablespoons. This would be equivalent to ½ tbsp to 1 tbsp flax meal.

Pro Tips

• I prefer to grind the flaxseeds separately to a fine powder, while the rest to a slightly coarse texture like the traditional podi. It is best to consume flaxseeds in a fine powder form. If you want you may grind all the ingredients together but I don’t.
• It is essential to roast each ingredient separately as the roasting time is different. If you toast all of them together, some of them will be burnt while the others may remain undercooked.
• If you are using peanuts, make sure you don’t grind for too long else they begin to release oil and turn lumpy.
• Also note – if using peanuts, you need to use roasted gram else your podi can turn lumpy. Roasted gram is going to absorb some of the oil from peanuts and keep the podi dry without becoming lumpy.
• You can cut down the peanuts to ¼ cup if you want.

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This recipe was first published in August 2014. It has been updated in March 2024 with new photos and clear instructions.