Sambar Powder Recipe | Sambar Masala Podi | சாம்பார் பொடி
Sambar Powder or Sambar Podi is a blend of spices & lentils from South India that is added to sambar to make it extra flavorful and tasty.
Servings: 300 grams
Equipment
- 1 Fry pan
- 1 Mini Blender or Spice Grinder / Mixer
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 30 each Dry Red Chilies / Vara milagai or Use 20 regular + 10 Byadgi chilies for color)
- 1 cup Coriander seeds / Malli
- 1/4 cup Toor dal / Thuvaram paruppu
- 1/4 cup Chana dal / Kadalai paruppu
- 2 Tablespoon Black peppercorn / Milagu
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin seeds / Seeragam
- 1 Tablespoon Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam
- 2 sticks Turmeric sticks (preferably Virali Manjal) or use 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Oil / Ennai
Optional Ingredients
- 2 inch Copra or 1 tablespoon dry coconut / desiccated coconut
- 10 each Curry leaves
- 2 Tablespoon Rice
- 2 tiny piece Asafoetida or 1/4 tsp
Instructions
- Measure all the ingredients and keep them ready to roast. Alternate method is to spread them over a large plate or newspaper and sun dry for 3 to 4 days in direct sun light until crisp.
- Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a heavy iron kadai or pan. ( Roasting the spices in oil is optional, keeps the powder stay fresh longer)
- Dry roast the red chilies until slightly crisp. Takes about 3 minutes over low medium flame. Take care not the burn the chilies. Remove and set aside.
- Dry roast coriander seeds for 3 minutes over low medium flame until crisp. Make sure to stir often to avoid burning. Once done, test by crushing the seeds with your fingers. It should crush to a fine powder form otherwise roast a little more. Transfer and set aside.
- Now dry roast the toor dal, chana dal along with black peppercorns. All these ingredients take about the same time to roast. Roast for 2 to 3 minutes over medium flame to turn slightly golden. Transfer and set aside.
- Dry roast fenugreek for few minutes until its golden in color. Remove and set aside.
- Optional ingredients for variations :1. If using dry coconut (copra) crush them into small pieces and add while grinding. This will suit for tiffin / breakfast style sambar.2. If using Virali manjal sticks, crush them into small pieces before grinding.3. If using rice, dry roast for few minutes before grinding.4. If using curry leaves, dry roast until they turn crisp.5. Asafoetida / Perungayam - If using compound or solid asafoetida, then dry roast until it stretch and crisp up.