This Sambar Powder I (Sambar Podi I) is a great recipe to try.
- 1 1/2 tb black peppercorns
- 2 ts bengal gram dal picked over
- 2 lg sticks cinnamon bark
- 1 3/4 cn coriander seeds
- 1 tb vegetable oil
- 4 tb cumin seeds
- 2 ts poppy seeds
- few curry leaves
- 1 1/2 tb brown mustard seeds
- 2 c red chillies
- 1 1/2 tb fenugreek seeds
- 2 ts red gram dal (pigeon peas)
- 2 ts ground turmeric
- Carbohydrate 72.859885 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 23.30938375 g
- Fiber 18.9512500538826 g
- Protein 21.28295 g
- Saturated Fat 2.0407028449375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (526g)
- Sodium 100.8 mg
- Sugar 53.9086349461174 g
- Trans Fat 2.8141437193875 g
- Calories 514 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy frying pan or skillet. Add the chillies and saute for 1 - 3 minutes.
- In a heavy saucepan, dry-roast all the other ingredients until they each give off a strong aroma. (However, do not roast the ground turmeric.)
- Place all the ingredients in an electric blender or food processor. Blend into a fine powder.
- Store in an airtight container and use as required.
Coriander seeds form the aromatic backbone of this blend, anchoring heavier spices while taking up the bulk of the volume in your spice grinder. Making your own spice mixes at home allows precise control over quantity, meaning you can easily scale these proportions up by four times for meal prep or down by half if your spice jars are nearly empty. When adjusting quantities, remember that volatile oils degrade quickly once ground, so processing only what you will consume within three months preserves peak potency. While black peppercorns supply sharp heat, substituting them with white peppercorns will alter the visual appearance of your finished dish without significantly changing the Scoville output.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat to ensure even heat distribution during the initial sauté.
- Sauté the red chillies for precisely one to three minutes until their color deepens and pungent fumes rise from the pan.
- Dry-roast remaining spices sequentially by density, removing each batch immediately when a potent, toasted aroma develops rather than relying on a strict timer.
- Omit ground turmeric from the roasting phase entirely, adding it raw directly into the food processor to prevent scorching bitter compounds.
- Process the cooled mixture in an electric blender until it yields a uniform, ultrafine 7-ounce powder before transferring it to an airtight glass container.
Storing the finished spice blend away from direct sunlight protects the fat-soluble flavor compounds from oxidation. Proper sealing ensures maximum aromatic retention throughout the storage window.
