This is one of my mom's recipes.My mom always makes sambar with fresh ingredients but when I was coming to USA for the first time, she made the sambar powder and gave it to me as we did not know if all the required ingredients were available here(USA).I should tell you that I have lived in the USof A for the last 10yrs and never bought any sambar powder from a store.The credit goes to my mom because she used to make the sambar powder when she visited and I would store it for at least an year or two in the freezer.For the last few years I started making it myself and store it for an year .
Main Ingredients:
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Urad Daal...............1cup
Chana Daal.............1cup
Red Chillies.............1/2cup
CorianderSeeds.......3/4cup
Black Pepper...........1/4cup
Methi Seeds.............1/8cup
Cumin Seeds............1/8cup
Mustard Seeds.........1.5tsp
Oil............................2tsp
Salt...........................to taste
Heat oil in the skillet and add the chanadaal, urad daal ,red chillies, coriander seeds, black pepper, methi seeds, cumin seeds and mustard seeds one after the other and coat them with the oil and roast these ingredients until they turn golden brown.Once they are roasted transfer them into a plate and let it cool.After it is cooled powder it in the grinder and add enough salt according to your taste.
Now the sambar powder is ready for storage.This powder has longer shelf life and also you can store it in freezer for years.
Note:
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1)We use very less oil in roasting the ingredients just enough to coat them.
2)If you store the powder in the freezer immediately after making it you can feel the fresh taste of the powder every time you make sambar even after an year of making it.
