SENNAKUNNI PODI
Sennakunni or dried baby shrimp is a commonly consumed food in the coastal areas of Tamilnadu, especially in, and around the areas of Cuddalore and Chidambaram. Since fishing is the main occupation, seafoods are consumed more in these areas.
Preserving the fish is a common practice that has been followed for generations. Turmeric and salt is added to the fish, and is dried under the sun, until it is completely dry. Any kind of fish can be preserved by this method, and it can be stored for years.
Preserved baby prawns is called as sennakunni. This sennakunni can be used to make various dishes like idly dosa podi, curry or even fry.
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
This recipe is called as sennakuni podi. It is roasted along with some spices and ground to a fine or coarse powder. This powder can be had along with idly and dosa or, it can also be taken with rice. This podi is really easy to make, and can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature for upto 3 months.
INGREDIENTS FOR SENNAKUNNI PODI:
- SENNAKUNNI – 100 GMS
- GRAM DHAL – 2 TBSP
- URID DHAL – 2 TBSP
- CORIANDER SEEDS – 1 TSP
- PEPPERCORNS – 1 TSP
- CUMIN SEEDS – 1 TSP
- DRY RED CHILLIES – 20 NOS
- CURRY LEAVES – 15 NOS
- SALT – AS REQUIRED
- OIL – 2 TSP
HOW TO MAKE SENNAKUNNI PODI:
- Heat a pan, and add 100 gms of sennakunni to it.
- On a medium- low flame, dry roast it for 2 to 3 minutes. It changes color. Then transfer it to a plate.
- To the same pan add 2 tsp of oil, and add the dry red chillies to it. On medium flame fry it for 30 seconds. Then transfer it to another plate.
- In the same pan, add the gram dhal and urid dhal, and fry them until it turns golden brown in color. Then transfer it to the plate along with red chillies.
- Then add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns to the same pan and fry them for 30 seconds, or until the cumin seeds and coriander seeds turn golden brown in color. Once it turns golden brown transfer it to the same plate with red chillies and dhal.
- Then add the curry leaves to the same pan, and fry them for 10 seconds. Do not fry more than that. Transfer the curry leaves to the same plate.
- Add salt to the plate, and let all the ingredients cool down completely.
- Meanwhile, slightly crush the sennakunni, and blow over it. This helps to remove the impurities from the sennakunni.
- Once all the ingredients are cooled down completely, add them to a blender and blend them. For having it with rice, it has to be blended to a fine powder. For having it with idly/dosa it has to be blended to a coarse powder.
YUMMY AND DELICIOUS SENNAKUNNI PODI IS READY. STORE IT IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER.
SERVE IT WITH YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST OR RICE.
I HAD MINE, WITH HOT AND CRISPY DOSA MIXING IT WITH A TEASPOON OF SESAME OIL.
VARIATIONS:
- The number of red chillies added can be adjusted according to your taste. Since I like my food little spicy, I’ve added around 23 red chillies. But you can add around 15 ~ 20 red chillies depending on your taste.
- The ingredients can also be dry roasted, without the oil. Dry roasting helps to increase the shelf life of this recipe. Dry roasting gives the raw flavours of the lentils. The taste of the recipe slightly differs, but it still tastes good.
PRO TIPS:
- Sennakunni is just roasted and blended, and is not cooked completely in this recipe. So try to get fresh and best quality sennakunni.
- After roasting the sennakuni, slightly crush it. Then gently blow on it, so that the impurities gets removed.
- Also once it is slightly crushed, you can see the impurities settled at the bottom of the plate. Gently transfer the sennakuni to the other plate and discard the impurities.