Sambar is a classic lentil-based gravy that features in almost every meal in every South-Indian home. It should have been the second recipe on this blog, but I have been putting it off for a long time now. I'm preparing a fairly long and comprehensive post on sambar and its variant recipes, so I'll eventually finish it and have it up.
There is a certain mix of spices that give the sambar its classic flavor. This spice-mix is called the Sambar powder, and it is almost a treasured secret in every family's recipe book. Most of us South-Indians don't buy this powder from the store. Our grandmothers, aunts, and mothers prepare this every year (or every other year) and the recipe is handed down to us as almost a rite of passage. Since I've started to try out masala powders and spice mixes, I wanted to record sambar and rasam powder recipes on this space as well.
My mother-in-law gave me the sambar powder recipe that came from her family (and my father-in-law's). It's quite precious, so I thank her for sharing it with me!
Since the powder is usually made in huge quantities, note the proportions of the ingredients and try out a small batch - substitute the kilos with cups or tablespoon equivalents.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 Kilo dry red chillies
- 1/2 Kilo coriander seeds
- 100 grams Thoor dhal / thuvaram paruppu
- 100 grams Bengal gram dhal / kadala paruppu
- 50 grams de-husked Urad dhal / ullatham paruppu
- 25 grams fenugreek seeds
- 25 grams black pepper corns
- 25 grams turmeric (the actual dried root or powder)
Preparation:
- Dry roast each ingredient separately. Cool slightly
- Grind together to a smooth powder.
The ingredients in the powder are pretty much the same across families and communities. But, I think the proportions vary slightly, and there might be a secret ingredient or two causing variations in this classic spice mix.
I simply dislike the taste of sambar made from store-brought sambar powders! I haven't yet progressed to the stage of making it on my own though (laziness is the culprit ;-)). Every trip home entails making my mom prepare a fresh batch and pack it up for me!And I loovvee my sambar - I think it's one of the best dishes I make; according to the ppl who have tasted it. But I knw that the secret ingredient is my mom's sambar podi. I haven't even bothered to take the recipe from mom - I know! Am just terrible! Hehe!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have cared to ask about the recipe either! I have bags of podis in the freezer and I don't think I will ever run out of them for the next 20 years ;)But, after the garam masala powder post, I felt guilty for ignoring our own wonderful podis!
ReplyDeleteI wish we could taste each others' cooking at some point! I trust you when you say your sambar is great. Sambar is one of the few dishes that I have managed to nail too! Of course, thanks to the awesome home-made podi :)
I've a big box of sambar podi in my freezer too - Never use it much though as I prefer the 'arachuvitta sambar', unless I'm in a tearing hurry ofcourse! :) But good to know you have the patience to actually make your sambhar powder - I don't think I ever will!
ReplyDeleteHaha, of course, most of our freezers will contain an assortment of spices and podis :). I don't make the powder either! They are sent to us every year and the bags accumulate in the freezer ;).
ReplyDeleteI add sambar powder to arachuvitta sambar too, in addition to grinding some of the spices with coconut and adding them :)