New Delhi, June 21 -- One morning, I had idlis steaming away for breakfast when I realised I was out of molaga podi-the classic spicy lentil powder we mix with sesame oil to accompany idlis and dosas. A quick scan of the fridge yielded barely two spoons of grated coconut, frozen solid. That's when my pantry saviour stepped in: roasted gram, or pottu kadalai, as it's known in Tamil.

This humble, beige-hued ingredient has an unmatched ability to rescue a chutney emergency. I blended it with the little coconut, a green chilli, a touch of tamarind and some salt, and I had a thick chutney that could rival any local darshini in Bengaluru. The beauty of roasted gram is that it blends smoothly, adds body to chutneys and keeps them from turning w...