Homemade Edible Powders: Beetroot, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Lemon, Orange, Sambar, Kurma, Garam Masala

The title says it all. This post is all about edible powders that can be used as flavoring agents, natural color, and to make food visually attractive. What more do we need? Though I am not too much in favor of drying food and storing the same, this is the best option for those days when these veggies are out of season. During the season, please make it a point to enjoy these fresh and flavorful. There's nothing better and healthier than fresh produce, right?

homemade carrot powder

Why say NO to artificial colors

No means NO when it comes to using artificial colors, fragrances, and flavors.

Since you all know me well, I love to bake healthy cookies with different flours. That's when I decided to put my homemade flours to use in my cookie recipes. The first one was moong dal digestive. The taste, aroma, and flavor of homemade flour compared with storebought mung atta gave me reasons enough to start making my powders at home. I can vouch for the flavor and taste profile of homemade flours and other ingredients, including nut butters, seed butters, chocolates, jam, spices, masalas, powders, chocos, apple cider vinegar, butter, ghee, and what not!

Only if I had the magic wand to make absolutely everything at home, I would never buy anything!! Sigh!!

I believe in making everything at home as much as possible, for I want to limit storebought stuff. I follow my heart and my heart does not let me indulge in anything market bought. 

Ravneet Bhalla has always had dreams to do it big in life - I want to transform illness to health (I know this is a daydream), but the suffering humanity hurts me deeply. Since hubby volunteers to help cancer patients, I hear their stories everyday and wish for doing something that could transform their lives. They are suffering!

 a lot to do in life still. Honesty, fairness, and politeness are my hallmarks that I cannot do away with. Health and healthy living inspire me to stay active and eat clean. I was always a health freak and addicted to healthy living. 

Okay so the idea to make these powders popped up in my mind as I had too many beetroots at home. When nobody was too eager to have them, the best way to still consume these beauties was to sundry them to powder. I did exactly that.

How to make garlic powder at home?

Since garlic powder is an important ingredient in baking, here's how I make it at home. It's easy and absolutely hygienic. When you know what all has gone in the making of garlic powder, you can indulge on it, hai na? (Guilty indulgence is never recommended)

You never know what you get in that box of garlic powder - could be garlic + corn flour.

Make all that you can at home instead of depending on market junk.

I make tomato powder (already on the channel), onion powder (coming soon), green coriander powder, mint powder, kasuri methi, spinach powder (coming soon), beetroot powder, carrot powder, orange peel powder, lemon peel powder, moringa powder (coming soon)....and the list is endless, because I believe no one!

how to make beetroot powder at home

Then I wondered if I can sundry lemon peels into powder just like we do to orange peels. I have been using orange peels as a face pack thus far. But since the baking bug has bitten me badly, I plan to use it as an edible powder for cakes and cookies too. Fingers crossed for the results though, since I have never added orange or lime powder to my bakes.

Regarding ginger powder, I have been making this powder for over 2 years and even share the same with mom. My bhabhi splurges on this powder - LOL while I use it primarily for tea.

Here's how to make beetroot powder instantly for a pop of color.

Onion and garlic powder recipes belong to Anita Chahal aunty ji, though I too have made these a year back following a different method.

Let's come back to the processes of making homemade edible powders.

Quick Beetroot powder recipe/Carrot Powder Recipe

homemade beet powder

A natural pop of color, beetroot is an amazingly healthy addition to your meals. When in season, make sure you enjoy this root veggie to the max. Some people use it as a blood pressure supplement w while some others add it as a pop of color to their soups, juices, cakes, and cookies. Some others use it as an energy booster and detox aid. Surprisingly, it can be used in cosmetics, especially homemade lip balm (though I have never tried it - add beet powder to your petroleum jelly- mix very well , allow it to sit for sometime and then see the pink magic on your lips)

• Wash beetroots/carrots in lukewarm water. Peel the skin and use a grater to grate the root veggie.
• You may use your chopper too.
• I  chose to go with a grater, since I did not have enough patience to see the results. If you grate it thinly, the sun will take less time to naturally dehydrate these pink beauties.
• Spread the grated product on a tissue paper or kitchen towel or your cotton dupatta that you no longer use.
• Place it in the sun and cover with another light cotton cloth to prevent dust or ants.
• Sundry these until they are completely done. Since the sun is shining brightly these days, it took me only 2 days to sundry my beet and carrots. 
• Grind the dehydrated beet/carrot to powder. Voila! You have a natural pink color to color your cookies, cakes, shakes, soups, and curries. On top of it, add beet powder to your roti atta and turn your rotis pink.

Do not forget to store your homemade beet powder in an airtight container away from humidity or moisture. With moisture, the color might turn brown.

Homemade Ginger Powder or Saunth

homemade ginger powder recipe

Wash and pat dry ginger pieces. I suggest buying organic ginger, as there is a loud hue and cry about ginger being given an acidic bath before being floated to the market.
Peel off the skin. If you are using organic ginger, as I do, you can use the washed and dried peel in your tea powder.
Grate ginger finely or chop it into thinnest slices/juveniles will work too.
Take a cotton dupatta/cloth and spread the chopped/grated ginger on it.
Cover with another cloth/dupatta.
Sundry until ginger loos dehydrated.
Grind into a smooth powder and enjoy homemade ginger powder in your tea.

Lemon/orange powder

Let lemon/orange pieces sit in hot water for 5 mins. I use homegrown lemon. If you have far fresh lemon, go ahead with the recipe.
Pat dry with a piece of cloth.
Squeeze juice and remove the pith or the white part from the lime/orange skin so that you are only left with the yellow/orange part.
Grate or slice thinly.
Take a cotton cloth and spread the lime/orange zest over it.
Cover with another cloth and allow it to soak in the sun for 3-4 or 5 days or until lime/orange looks dry.
Grind to a powder.
Enjoy homemade lemon powder in cakes, cookies, soups, and homemade jal jeera powder.

Organic Tomato Powder 

How to make organic tomato powder/ sundried tomatoes for bakes After homemade garlic, onion, ginger, beet, carrot powders, this time it was the turn of tomato powder, that too, from homegrown tomatoes. Whether you are looking for a way to make sundried tomatoes or tomato powder at home, this recipe should work.

sundried tomato powder organic

Rinse organic tomatoes well.
Chop them fine or slice them thinly.
Collect seeds on a piece of paper.
Sundry tomatoes for 3-4 days or until dried completely.
Do not be tempted to do a taste test of sundried tomatoes, because you could end up eating all of it.
Yes, it is addictive.
Next, turn the sundried tomatoes into powder.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy homemade goodness.

Onion Powder by Anita Chahal aunty ji

homemade onion powder

how to make onion powder at home 

How to make onion powder without dehydrator in airfryer?

Thinly slice onions.

Place on a baking basket and dehydrate in airfryer for 20 minutes at 100 deg c.

Stir a little and dehydrate again for 20 minutes.

Repeat the process until onions crisp up.

Then turn the dehydrated onion flakes into powder.

Add to an airtight container.

Your homemade onion powder is ready to be refrigerated.

Homemade Garlic Powder by Anita Chahal aunty ji

how to make garlic powder at home

If you do not get good sunlight, make use of your aifryer or oven to dehydrate garlic.
Wash and coarsely grind along with peels.
Set in the airfryer for 20 minutes at 100 deg c along with onions.
Repeat the process and stir intermittently until garlic is dehydrated fully.
It took me 60 minutes to dehydrate garlic fully.It may take you longer or less amount of time, depending on your machine.

 Homemade Dal Powder by Chitra Balachander

Sambar powder (recipe courtesy: PV Iyer)

how to make sambar masala at home: recipe by PV Iyer

Homemade Jal Jeera Powder (Recipe courtesy: Poonam Bachhav)

Homemade Digestion Churan Powder

Homemade Digestion aid (powder) by Anita Chahal aunty

Homemade Curry Powder (recipe courtesy MIL)

Homemade curry powder

Homemade Kadhai masala

homemade kadahi masala

Homemade Garam Masala

how to make garam masala at home

Homemade Kurma Powder

how to make kurma masala (recipe courtesy: Radha Natarajan)

How to make beetroot powder at home instantly in airfryer

How to make garlic powder at home

How to make green coriander/mint powder at home

How to make curry leaves powder at home in airfryer

How to make kasuri methi in the sun 

How to make authentic Odia curry leaves powder