One of the reasons why I enjoy cooking is the aroma of spices. The aromas wafting around the home are heady.
I try to make most of my freshly ground spices at home like cumin/jeera powder, coriander/dhaniya powder and various other condiments that are a part of South Indian cuisine.
Sambhar is an important part of our cuisine. I tried the ready to cook powder initially and somehow it never matched up to what mom made. Since the first time I made the powder at home, I swore never to buy the it from the stores.
You need:
- 3 cups coriander / dhaniya seeds
- 1 cup split gram dal / channa dal
- 1 cup split black dal / urad dal
- 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds / methi seeds
- 1/4 heaped tsp pepper corns
- 5 whole red chilies
- Few sprigs of curry leaves
Steps:
- In a deep pan, dry roast the first three ingredients on a low flame, one by one, till fragrant and slightly brown. Keep stirring continuously to avoid it getting burnt.
- Spread them out on a large plate or tray to cool.
- Roast the methi seeds and peppercorns till the methi changes colour.
- Turn off the heat and then roast the curry leaves and red chilies on the pan. Keep stirring continuously till the curry leaves become crisp.
- Once cooled, grind to a fine powder.
- Store it in an airtight container to retain freshness.
- Use as required to make delicious sambhar.
And that is my daughter in the red, she wanted to pose with the sambhar powder :)
Notes:
- Always use a dry spoon.
- Keep the container tightly closed when not in use.
- Using a tsp or two of the powder while making potato or brinjal roast makes it more flavorful.
- Use as curry powder to flavour noodles.
- Please adjust the quantities of pepper corns and red chilies depending on how spicy you like your sambhar.
This fiery powder will be a part of any idli / dosa eating South Indian household. Easy and uncomplicated, all it requires is gentle roasting of lentils and a few other ingredients, pulse them together to a course powder, and it is ready :)
Each household will have a separate recipe and coarseness to which they grind the powder. This is how I learnt to make it from my mother.
You Need:
- 1 cup split gram dal / channa dal
- 2 cups split black dal / urad dal
- Whole red chillies - as per taste
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds / til
- 1/8 spn asofoetida / hing
- Salt
Steps:
- Dry roast the channa dal and the urad dal separately in a low flame till light brown in colour. Keep stirring to avoid burning.
- Spread it in a large tray to cool. You can put the lentils together after roasting to cool.
- On a very low flame slightly roast the sesame seeds till you get the fragrance.
- In the hot pan stir around the whole chillies that you need.
- When the lentils have cooled to room temperature, pulse them all together in the mixer with the other ingredients to a coarse powder. Check salt and spice and adjust as per taste.
- Transfer to clean and dry containers. Allow it to cool before you close the containers.
- Mix with sesame oil and have with steaming hot idlis, dosas, Aadai.
Notes:
- Store the powder in an air tight container. Always use a dry spoon. It stays fresh for about 2 months if stored outside. For longer, store in the refrigerator.
- I usually use red chillie powder as that helps me control the spice levels.
- Dry roast a few sprigs of curry leaves and grind with the rest of the ingredients for a varied flavour.
- Mix a spoonful of the powder with yogurt for a different taste.
- You can also dice idlis and season with mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and a few tablespoons of this powder in hot sesame oil for a quick snack.
I like to have my spices / condiments freshly ground. The aroma wafting through the house is heady. I make small batches of daily spices like cumin and coriander powders in small batches.
A friend once told me that she made Kasuri Methi at home and I was quite surprised as to why one would go to such efforts. And then she explained how the store bought ones are not very clean, may have dirt traces and not as fragrant.
The first time I made a batch at home, I swore I would never buy Kasuri Methi from the store again. Make one small batch at home and I can promise you that you would never ever pick a pack off the shelf again.
You Need:
- A large bunch Fenugreek / Methi leaves
Steps:
- Pluck the leaf clusters off the stems.
- Wash well in multiple changes of water till you see clear water.
- Spread it out on a clean towel to dry.
- Chop coarsely. Preheat oven to the lowest temperature.
- Spread leaves on a lined baking tray.
- Bake it for about 40-60 minutes depending on the quantity and the temperature of your oven. I did my batch at 100degrees C for 50 minutes.
- Once you notice that the leaves are getting crisp and have lost their moisture, switch off the oven and let the tray remain in till it cools. You could leave the oven door slightly open if you think the oven is too hot.
- Once completely cooled, store as is in a clean jar. Else, you could crush the leaves slightly with your fingers and store it.
- Make sure the jar that you are using is completely dry and the lid is tight. This helps retain its freshness.
- Store in the refrigerator if you want to use it for longer periods.
Notes:
