Sambar Powder(Udupi Style)

 This is a little spicy , Karnataka based Udupi style sambar powder. This can be used for making sambar for dosa/idly or rice .  This sambar powder has wonderful color and texture and taste great , as the spices are roasted in coconut oil ! 

YIELDS -  Approx. 300 gms of sambar powder

INGREDIENTS:

Dry red chilli  - 90 gms ( if you like more spiciness, you can add another 10 grams of chilli)

Coriander seeds -  75 gms

Cumin seeds - 25 gm

Fenugreek seeds - 20 gms

Urad dal - 30 gms

Channa dal - 15 gms

Curry leaves - a handful

Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon

Coconut oil - 2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil, and roast coriander seeds , till nice aroma comes. Do not burn it. Keep the flame in medium to low and roast it. Transfer the coriander seeds in to a plate and keep aside.

2. In the same pan,  add another 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil  and add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Roast on medium to low flame, till nice aroma comes. Transfer the dals to a plate and keep it aside.

3. In the same pan, now dry roast curry leaves, till they turn crisp and keep it aside.

4. In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, add the dry red chilli, roast on medium to low flame, until the dry red chilli puffs up and turn crisp. It make take 2 to 3 minutes. 

5. Allow all the contents to cool completely. First in the mixer, add the chilli and grind for sometime. Then add coriander seeds and grind again. Finally, add all the dals, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and grind them to a smooth powder. Also add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder to that.

6. Store the sambar powder in an airtight container. This sambar powder can be used for making sambar for idly/dosa/rice . 

Note:

The taste and spice level depends on the quality of dry red chili you use. Always use good quality chili, so that the recipe taste good . 

Peanut Idli/Dosa Podi

Here is another variation of podi , that can be used as a side dish for dosa or idli or chapathi. It has a flavor of peanuts in it and will be loved by a kids a lot !

Preparation Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Yields - 2 cups ( 1 cup = 240 ml)

INGREDIENTS:

Channa Dal/Bengal gram - 1/2 cup

Urad dal - 1/2 cup

Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 11 to 12 no.s( I used 11 no of dry chilli and my podi was very mild in spice. If you want more spicy, add some more dry red chilli)

Salt - as required( Approx  1 tsp and a bit more)

Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

Dry curry leaves - a fistful( If you dont have dry curry leaves, wash fresh curry leaves and dry them in sun. )

METHOD:

1. Sun dry all the ingredients and also the mixie jar. If there is any moist , then the powder would get spoiled.

2. In a pan, dry roast channa dal, until they turn golden brown. You have to use a low to medium flame when you dry roast it, Else, the dal would turn dark. You can see the below picture for reference. 

3. Now keep the channa dal aside. Dry roast urad dal, till they turn golden brown.

3. Now dry roast dry red chilli for 2 to 3 minutes and set it aside.

4. Now dry roast the curry leaves for 2 minutes and set it aside. I have used already washed and dried curry leaves. If you dont have dry curry leaves, wash fresh curry leaves and sun dry them for a day. Later, you can use it for this recipe. 

5. Now dry roast cumin seeds for 1 to 2 minutes .

6. Also dry roast peanuts, till they change colour. 

7. Allow all the items to cool down completely. First, in the mixer, add dry red chilli, cumin seeds and curry leaves and grind them in to fine powder. To that, add urad dal and channa dal and grind again to a fine powder. Now add roasted peanuts and salt and grind it little coarse. Because, if you try to grind the peanut to a fine powder, it will start letting out oil and the powder turns sticky. So do not grind peanut to fine powder. Store the powder in an airtight container. Serve it with dosa or idly or rotti ! 

Paruppu Podi/Dal Powder

Paruppu podi/Dal powder is south Indian special spice powder that can be mixed with white rice and with some ghee, taste delicious . This powder can stay good for over a month if stored in an airtight container.

Preparation Time : Under 15 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 10 minutes


INGREDIENTS:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Roasted Split  Gram Dal/Pottu kadalai - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilli - 4 no.s
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic - 4 cloves
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required
Oil - 1 teaspoon(For frying garlic)

METHOD:

1. In a pan, dry roast toor dal for 2 minutes.

2. Now add cumin seeds and black pepper and fry for another few minutes.

3. Now add dry red chilli to that.

4. Now add roasted split gram and fry for a minute and turn off the stove.

5. Set aside the above contents. Now in the same pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Roast garlic , till they turn golden brown.

6. Allow the contents to cool completely. Then before grinding add salt and asafoetida powder. Grind them to a smooth powder.

7. Paruppu podi/ Dal powder is ready. In hot rice, mix some ghee and add some paruppu podi . It taste delicious. Papad as a side dish goes well for this dal powder rice !.

SEE ALSO: Sambar powder, Dosai podi ,Rasam powder

Dosai/Idly Podi

This powder is specially used in tamilnadu as a side dish for idly,dosai etc... This podi/powder when mixed with sesame oil gives an excellent taste and flavor.

Yields: Approx 1/4 kg of podi.
Preparation Time - 5 minutes
Cooking Time - 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Urad dal - 1 cup(120 gm)
Bengal gram(Kadalai paruppu) - 1/4 cup
Roasted gram(Pottu kadalai) - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilli - 1/4 cup(Cut into pieces. If you want it to be more spicy, you can add 1/3 cup)
Asafoetida powder - as required
Salt - as required.

METHOD:

1. First in a  pan, dry roast urad dal and channa dal till they change colour. Keep stirring continuously, so that they doesn't get burnt,  Then roast pottu kadalai for 1 minutes, till they are hot to touch. Also dry roast red chili till they are hot to touch. 

2.  Allow the items to cool completely. In a mixer, first grind dry red chilli. Then add all the dals and grind to a fine powder. Also add salt and asafoetida powder and grind once. 

3. Dosai/Idly podi is ready !. This podi can be mixed with gingely oil or olive oil, and be taken as a side dish for dosai, idly or even chappathi too . 

NOTES:

1. When making powder items, make sure all the vessels you use, should be dry including the mixer, tawa and ladle. If there is any water droplet in any of the vessel, the powder will get spoiled and will not stay good for longer time. 

2. Also store the powder in a dry air tight container.

Rasam Powder

Here is a recipe for making rasam powder. Please do try it.

INGREDIENTS:

Black whole pepper - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds - 1/2*5 =  2.5 cups(It should be 5 times of the quantity of black pepper. I have taken                                                                   1/2 cup of black pepper. Hence 2.5 cups of corriander seeds.)

Cumin seeds - 1/2 cup

Toor daal(Tuvaram paruppu) - 1/4 cup

Dry red chilli -  50 gms

Turmeric powder - 2 tablespoon

METHOD:

1. Dry roast black pepper in a pan. No need to add oil.

2. When it starts to splutter, remove it and keep aside. In the same pan, dry roast corriander seeds  for few minutes,  till flavor comes out of it . keep it aside. 

3. In the same pan , dry roast cumin seeds, toor daal,dry red chilli one by one separately and keep aside to cool.

4. Once it cools down, grind all together in to a coarse powder. After that, add 2 table spoon turmeric powder and mix well. Rasam powder is ready !. 

Sambar Powder

HOME MADE SOUTH INDIAN SAMBAR POWDER:

This is my mother's version of typical Tamil Nadu  sambar powder. It can also be used for poriyals, kootus apart from normal sambar.

INGREDIENTS:
[ For 1/4 kg sambar powder]

Dry Red Chili - 1/4 kg
Coriander seeds - 1/4 kg
Bengal Gram(Kadalai paruppu) - 100 gms
Toor Dal- 100 gms
Whole black pepper - 50 gms
Cumin seeds - 50 gms
Fenugreek seeds(Vendhayam) - 50 gms
poppy seeds(Kasa kasa) - 50 gms
*Dried Whole Turmeric  - 50 gms
Asafoetida - 10 gms

METHOD :

 Heat tawa. Dry roast coriander seeds slightly for 2 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and dry roast for 1-2 minutes.. Do not over roast and burn it. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool. Grind them to a fine powder.

NOTE : If you dont get Whole turmeric, you can use turmeric powder 50 gms. But , you dont need to dry roast the turmeric powder. Instead, after you grind sambar powder, add turmeric powder to that and mix well.