Ingredients

The following ingredients have 150 Servings
  • ½ cup coriander seeds
  • ¼ cup chana dal ((husked and split bengal gram))
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal ((husked and split black gram))
  • 10 to 12 byadagi chillies (or bedgi red chilies - or swap with lesser hot dry red chilies)
  • 5 to 7 guntur red chilies (or swap with hot dry red chilies or medium-hot red chillies)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 1.5 inches cinnamon
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 4 marathi moggu ((kapok buds))
  • 4 tablespoon desiccated coconut (- unsweetened)
  • 2 teaspoon poppy seeds ((khus khus))
  • ½ of a whole mace (or 1 small mace (javitri))
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds ((methi dana))
  • 12 to 14 curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon asafoetida ((hing) - optional)

Instruction

  • Heat a frying pan or a small kadai and first dry roast the coriander, cumin and fenugreek until they are crisp and fragrant. Roast on a low heat and make sure you don't burn the spices. Remove and keep aside in a plate or tray.
  • In the same pan, now dry roast the cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, mace and marathi moggu till become aromatic. Remove and keep aside in the same plate and tray.
  • Now add chana dal and urad dal. These take a longer to roast than the spices.
  • Roast them stirring often till you get a nice lentil aroma and the lentils have become browned. Keep aside.
  • Now dry roast the dry red chilies till they become crisp.
  • Dry roast the curry leaves till they crisp.
  • Now roast the poppy seeds till they become light golden.
  • Roast the desiccated coconut stirring often till the flakes become golden.
  • Turn off heat and dry roast the asafoetida if you plan to add it in the masala powder.
  • Now let the roasted spices cool. Mix all the spices very well. Break the red chilies in small pieces. Deseed them if you prefer. 
  • Add the ingredients in batches in a dry grinder or coffee grinder.
  • Grind to a fine powder. Remove from the jar and store the masala powder in an air-tight jar or container. Keep the jar in the refrigerator.
  • Use the Bisi Bele Bath Powder as needed.