"Lanka Jeera Gunda" with a click

This view caught my attention during dusk. And every time I take a look at it, I feel like humming the Hindi classic melody "Jalte hai dil yahan.." (literal translation: Heart burns here!).

Along the lines of the above click, sharing a very simple spice recipe in this post - it is a ground spice with very earthy flavors. "Lanka Jeera Gunda" means "Chilli Cumin Ground (spice)". It is used abundantly in Odiya cuisine and an essential item in my pantry. Do you have any such spice which is home-made and an integral part of your spice rack without which you have this mildly nagging feel of "I have to get this refilled soon!"? Would love to hear from you.

Without this hot spice, Dahi Vada is incomplete in an Odiya house. It is used prolifically in Dalma "veggies and lentil soup kinda" as well as any of the veggie shallow fries. Add a dash of this spice for added flavor. I usually make the amount below once a year (typically Memorial Day is the day I pick for such type of pantry replenishment tasks!) 

Ingredients:

1 cup Dry Cumin Seeds

2 cup Dry Red Chilli

Dry roast both of them separately since they both have different roasting times.

Sometime I get lazy and roast them together. In that case I dry roast the chillis first and then add the cumin seeds. Since you are roasting chillis, be very careful not to overcook them else you are sure to have the entire house having the smell, everyone going into an eye-burning sensation and sneezing. I usually try to leave the window open when doing this for easy ventilation.

Let them cool down and then dry-grind them. Voila! You have almost a year's supply of "Lanka Jeera Gunda"! :)