Jawas Podi/जवस पोड़ी/Jawas chutney (spicy powder mix of flaxseeds)

Jawaspodi (Spicy powder mix of Flaxseeds) 

Flaxseeds (jawas) are those super food which is rich in vitamins, Micronutrients, water soluble fibers as well as water insoluble fibers. They are rich in minerals like copper, magnesium and calcium. 

Much needed omega-3 fatty acid and anti oxidants are richly present in them. So there is no doubt that Flax seeds are super food. 

Flax seeds are helpful in management of cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. 

Flax seeds combined with ground nuts, sesame seeds, garlic enhance not only taste but adds lot more nutrients. 

This spicy powder mix is quite popular in western and Southern parts of India. 

Podi basically means powder. In Maharashtra it is called chutney. Dry powder can be stored in airtight container in fridge for as long as three four months, but one should make sure it does not come in contact with moisture at all. 

Flax seeds powder mix (Podi /chutney) can be taken as side dish with steamed rice-daal /roti-sabzi or with stuffed Paranthas. I even enjoy it with Dosa) Idli. 

Preparation Time : 10 minutes (peeling garlic) 

Cooking Time : 30 minutes (roasting seeds) 

Grinding Time : 10 minutes 

Servings : 255 gm (approx) 

Nutritional value of 225 gm Flaxseeds spicy powder (Jawas Podi Jawas)Chutney) : (approx. Values) 

• Energy : 800 cals 
• Fats : 82 gm 
• Carbs: 50 gm
• Proteins: 42 gm
• Cholesterol: 0 
• Sugars: 7.25gm 
• Fiber: 40 gm (20 - 40 %water soluble, 80 —60 %water insoluble) 
• Sodium: 15 mg 
• Potassium: 570 mg
• Micronutrients copper, Sulphur, Phosphorus magnesium,calcium, antioxidants 
• Vitamins B1, A, D 
• Omega 3 fatty acid 

Ingredients Required for Making Flax seed powder mix (jawas Podi /chutney) 

• Flax seeds: 100 gm
• Ground nuts : 50 gm 
• Sesame seeds : 50 gm
• Garlic : 50 gm (approx.) / 15-20 medium size pods
• Red Kashmiri whole chilies : 4-5
• Whole Red chilies : 3-4/to taste 
• Seedless Tamarind : 10-15 small pieces or to taste 
• Salt : 2 teaspoon / to taste 

Direction for making Flax seeds powder mix (jawas Podi/ chutney) 

• Break whole chilies and remove seeds. 
• Roast Flax seeds on low heat with constant stirring to make sure even roasting. 
• While roasting Flax seeds you will see that after some time oil starts oozing and covering seeds. This is normal thing to happen and indicates that seeds are nearly roasted. 
• When Flax seeds start spluttering nice aroma will start coming. Immediately remove Flax seeds from hot pan and transfer them to a plate. Hot seeds will keep cooking due to  hot oil in them. 
• While Flax seeds are cooling dry roast ground nuts on low heat to light brown. Transfer roasted nuts to a plate to cool so that their peel can be removed. 
• Dry roast on low heat sesame seeds to light brown. Seeds will splutter indicating their readiness to be removed from heat. 
• Dry roast chili pieces on low flame till they become crisp and change color but make sure they don't burn off. Burnt chilies spoil the taste of Podi. 
• Remove the brown cover (peel) of roasted ground nuts. 

Roasted Ingredients and salt 

• Place 
• Roasted Flax seeds 
• Roasted Ground nuts
• Roasted Sesame seeds 
• Roasted Red Chili pieces 
• Roasted Red Kashmiri chili pieces 
• Roasted Garlic 
• Salt 
• Tamarind in a mixer and grind them to powder. 
• While grinding the roasted ingredients the mixer and the ingredients in it will warm up. Stop in between to let it cool. 
• The oil from seeds and nuts will give lovely texture and flavor to the powder mix /Podi /chutney. 
• I prefer finely powdered mix. Some people like little coarsely powdered. So do as per your liking. 
• Flax seed powder mix /Podi /chutney is ready. 
• Store it in airtight container and keep in fridge. The oil may go rancid in few months if not stored in cool place. 
• I prefer storing it in two three small airtight containers so that only one is opened at a time till it finishes rest of tjw Podi is stored safe in containers. 
• Make sure moisture does not come in contact (wet spoon) while taking out Podi from container. 
• Enjoy this healthy, Nutritious, tasty Podi as side dish with dal-chawal /roti-sabzi/parantha/dosa /Idli or sprinkle little on pakoras. Permutation combinations are endless. 

Jawaspodi (Spicy powder mix of Flaxseeds) 

Tips: 

• Always do roasting of ingredients on low heat and do not over roast them. Over roasting will spoil the taste, flavor and destroy nutrients. 
• Roasting on high heat will not give that nutty flavor and may cause burning of ingredients. 
• While grinding the mixture stop the mixer in between to cool the ingredient and container. 

• Check the hotness of chilies before adding. 

Alternate Suggestions :

• Garlic though adds flavor and goodness to Podi but if one wants it can be avoided. 
• Flaxseed meal may be an alternative to Flaxseeds but without roasting that nutty flavor will not come. 
• Dry roasted coconut pieces (upto 50 gm) can be added along with other ingredients. 

Jawaspodi /Jawas chutney 

Kundru/Tindora Sabzi (Indian savory of Coccinia Grandis)

Kundru/Tindora Sabzi

Kundru/.Tondali/Tindora/kovakka is also called Cipherlandra Indica / Coccinia Indica or Coccinia Grandis.It's English name is Ivy-gourd / baby watermelon / gentlemen toe (and sometimes misleadingly Gherkin). It is a green color an inch long fruit having white stripes. Its flesh is white / pale yellow when unripe and becomes red when ripe. Ripe fruit tastes a little sour and becomes hard so not good for making savory. Tender green fruit is best for making savory. 

The tender fruit of Kundru is rich source of protein, fibers, calcium,beta-carotene and vitamin A B, C and many micro-nutrients. 

Kundru plants is considered medicinal herb in ayurveda. The juice of it's leafs is applied on fore -head and is  helpful in bringing down fever, reducing headache, helpful in sunstroke. The fruit is very good for peolpe suffering from type 2 diabeties. So its savory/ sabzi is not only tasty and nutritious but has medicinal value also. 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 medium servings

Nutritional value of savory made from 250 g of Kundru (Coccinia Grandis): 

Energy-140K cal

Fats 14g (Mono and Polybsaturated)

Protein 3.0g

Sugars 0g

Sodium 2.25 mg

Potassium 80mg

Carbs 8 g.

Cholestrol 0g

Fibers 4.0 g

Iron 3.5 mg

Calcium 100 mg

VitaminB1,B2,B3 ,A ,C, 

Water

Ingredients Required To Make Kundru bsabzi (Coccinia. Indica Savory):

• Kundru: 250 gm
• Mustard Oil: 1 tablespoon
• Cumin seeds: 1 Teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
• Dry Red chili: 1
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 Teaspoon
• Salt: 1 Teaspoon or to taste

Directions For Making Kundru Sabzi:

• Wash kundru nicely and towel dry then.
• Remove the tip and the stem from it.
• Cut them lengthwise to 2-3 mm. thick slices. My kundrus were small so sliced them to four pieces lengthwise. If you desire you may cut thyem to round pieces also but make sure that the pieces are not too thick.

Sliced Kundru

• Crush dry red chili.
• On high heat in a thick bottom wok heat 1 tablespoon of mustard oil or any other cooking oil. I prefer mustard oil because it has mono and polysaturated fats which are good for health as they promote formation of HDL (good choloestrol).
• When the oil is hot add cumin and mustard seeds. When the seeds start spluttering add crushed red chili.

Cumin, Mustard seeds and Crushed red chili cooking in mustard oil

• When red chilies change the color immediately add sliced Kundru. Mix nicely and bring the heat to medium. 

Kundru slices added to oil with Tempering

• Add tuemeric powder and salt. Mix nicely.
• Now again bring the heat to high and keep on stirring the ingredients in the wok while they are cooking on high heat. 

• Do not cover. Sprinkle 10-20 ml. of water and keep cooking for another 5 minutes. 
• Please note that heat is to on high and continuoius stirring is required. After 5 minutes of cooking on high heat switch off the heat and cover the wok. Let it cool. 

Cooked Kundru Sabzi

• Kundru sabzi is cooked.The kundru pieces will be soft and slightly crysp not gooey.

Kundru Sabzi

Take it out in a serving bowl. Serve with Dal-chawal/roti/parantha.

Tips:

• Wok or cooking pan shoulod be thick bottomed.
• Since the taste and falvor of Kundru is very delicate thus too many spices are not added while making sabzi. Too many spices will overcome the atste and falvor of Kundru.
• While cooking high bheat is required with constant stirring so that kundru are cooked evenly and do not turn gooey. Kundru sabzi tastes best when it has a little bite to it. El dante.
• Sprinkling little water makes sure that sabzi does not get burnt and moisture is maintained.

Alternate Suggestions:

• One medium size potato can be thinly sliced and cooked with kundru. If you are using potato my suggestion would be that sautee it for 2-3 minutes before adding kundru, this will ensure that potatoes are cooked properly.
• Chili powder can be added according tob taste. I prefer not to so that kundru flavor predominates.