Masala Powders: Sambar Powder Recipe
An Outlook of Sambar and Sambar powder
What is Sambar?
Sambar is a type of curry made with single vegetable or mixed vegetables, pigeon peas, tamarind pulp, and sambar powder. The use of coconut for making its gravy is optional. Coconut gives a distinct flavor and thickness to the sambar. In coastal Karnataka and Kerala, people use coconut to make this gravy because of the availability of plenty of coconuts in this region.
Sambar is a delicious spicy curry that is considered very healthy. There are many sets of vegetable combinations that give a special taste to the sambar. For example, potato and onion, green leafy vegetables and garlic tempering, etc
About Sambar powder:
Sambar powder is an aromatic spicy powder that is made by grinding roasted spices like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds with Bengal gram split, black lentil split, copra, dry red chilies, curry leaves, and hing.
If you want to store sambar powder for more than a month, don't add coconut or else store it in the refrigerator for longer shelf life (six months). The powder without coconut stays fresh for years in normal temperature when stored in an airtight container.
This spice powder serves many purposes. You can use it for making curries, vegetable stir-fries, snacks, bajjis, and pakoras.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups coriander seeds (daniya)
- 1/2 cup cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2-3 teaspoons fenugreek seeds (methi)
- 3/4 cup dehusked black lentil split (urad dal)
- 1/2 cup Bengal gram split (chana dal)
- 4 1/2 cups dry red chili, broken, mix of byadigi (bright red but not so hot) and guntur (hot variety)
- two fistful curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons copra, optional, gives nice flavor and thickness to the curry
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil or any other oil, coconut oil preferred
Instructions
- Keep all the ingredients ready.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a deep bottomed pan. Add fenugreek seeds. Saute on very low fire until it changes its color. Throw in the split Bengal gram. Continue roasting for a few seconds. Add de-husked black lentil split. Roast till black lentils turn honey color. Transfer it to a plate.
- In the same pan, add a few drops of oil. Throw-in cumin seeds. Fry for 30 seconds on a very low fire. Add coriander seeds. Continue stir-frying for a minute. Transfer it to the same plate.
- Add chopped copra to the empty pan. Dry-fry until it becomes crispy. Transfer it to the plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan. Throw in curry leaves. Stir fry for 20 seconds. Add broken red chilies. Roast them on very low fire for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the fire. Add the contents on the plate to the pan. Mix well. Leave it for cooling.
- When it cools down completely, grind them to get a coarse or near smooth powder.
- Aromatic sambar powder is ready! Spread it on a paper or plate for some time. Next, store it in an airtight container. This powder remains fresh for a month at room temperature. You can use it for up to 6 months if you store it in the refrigerator.
Photo Guide:
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Nutritional Information
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 | |
| Calories | 6 |
| Calories from Fat | 0 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 0 g | |
| Carbohydrates 1 g | |
| Sugar 0 g | |
| Fiber 1 g | 4% |
| Protein 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | |
| Sodium 1 mg | |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
