Sambar Podi / kozambu Podi/ curry powder

Living In the U.S and running out of stock for homemade Sambar powder is something I always dreaded. I always make the freshly ground masala for sambar. And when I ask for a recipe, I get stone walled telling that I needed a machine (a typical one in India to grind these powders) or I need to have it dried under the hot sun. Both of which is an impossible thing here. My quest ended with my Sister in law, Sumithra Ranganath's easy recipe. It came out really great.

Here are the things we need
Coriander seed - 1 cup
Urad dal           - 1 cup
Channa dal       - 1 cup
Methi seeds     - 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds - 1 table spoon
Red chilli          - 250 gms ( typically this is only a rough measure) 
Asafoetida       -  a little
Turmeric powder - 4 spoons
Cinnamon    - 5 grams.
Maratti Mogghhu (Star Anise) - 5 grams


Dry roast all the above ingredients until golden brown and once you smell the fried chilli Switch off allow it too cool  and grind it to fine powder.


One can skip the last 2 ingredients too.


This powder can be used to make  Sambar, Curries.

Vatha Kuzambu without tamarind

Things we need

Onions 1 1/2 Sliced well
Tomato 2
Coriander leaves
Sambar powder
Red chilli - 1 or 2
Channa dal 1/2 sppon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Peanut 1/2 spoon
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek Seeds
Oil
Asafoetida
Salt
Curry Leaves
How to make it
Grind the tomato & coriander leaves with salt. in a kadai, take some oil. Once it is heated up, add th emustard & allow it to spurt, and then the fenugreek seeds, red chilli, then the lentils (dals) & the peanuts. Fry them till they are brown, then add the curry leaves, onions, & fry them till they are transparent. Then add asafoetida, then some sambar powder. Just sauté it a bit. Then add the tomato coriander ground mix. Allow it to boil well. then turn it off.
Its a very easy dish. It tastes good with rice or pongal.

Idli Sambar Recipe

Ingredients

Toor Dal - 1 cup

Green Gram less than 1/4 cup

Tomato - 2 chopped

Small Onions/Shallots - - cut into half

Ginger 1 chopped

Green chilli

Turmeric - 1/2 spoon

Chilli Powder 1/4 spoon

Sambar powder

Salt

Seasoning

Cumin Seeds (Jeera) = 1spoon

Asafoetida

Mustard

Curry leaves

Oil

Preparation

Soak the toor dal & green gram in hot water for half an hour.

In a cooker, add onions, tomato, green chillies, ginger, the dal, add little water, salt, chilli powder, sambar powder, turmeric powder. Pressure cook well upto 5 whistles.

When done. In a kadai, take oil, when its hot, add mustard seeds, when it spurts, add cumin seeds, asafotida & curry leaves.

Sambar is done. Its awesome with idli, dosa, vada. Yummy

How to make Milagu Kuzambu/ Pepper sambar

Hi,

All of the traditional recipes that I shall be posting, descends either from my mom or my mom in law. I thank both of them for their patience to teach me. I salute them for the passion they hold to make lovely food.

Milagu Kuzambu

Making time : 20 mins

Serves : 2

Ingredients

Tamarind - A small lemon sized

Turmeric - 1 spoon

Urad Dal - 1 spoon

Peppercorns - 20 nos (add more if you want it more spicier)

Asafoetida - 2 pinches

Curry Leaves - A small cup

Grated Coconut - 2 spoons

Oil

Rice Flour - 1 spoon

Sundaikai vattral- 4/5 (called as Turkey berry) - optional

Mustard - a little for seasoning

Salt to taste

Preparation

Soak the tamarind in water & get the extract.

Take oil in a kadai, heat it a bit. Then add the peppercorns, urad dal, curry leaves & Asafoetida fry till the urad dall is golden brown.Add coconut to it & grind it into a paste.

In the tamarind extract, add turmeric & salt & boil it for 10 mins, then add the paste add bring it to boil for 5 mins. You can a smell a very nice Aroma of the curry leaves & pepper.

To make the consistency of the kozambu lil thick, mix a spoon rice flour in cold water till you see no lumps. Then add it to the kozambu. Then remove the kozambu off the heat after you have stirred it well.

Take little oil in kadai, heat it well, and add mustard & sundaikai vattral. Fry it till it turns dark brown or nearly black. Then add this on top of the Kozambu.

Tip: If you feel it is little spicy, you can add some jaggery.

Voilà.... a delicious Mulagu Kuzambu.

Combination: It should be taken with Paruppu Thugayal.

Goodness of pepper

Pepper is very good for health. It improves digestion & the pepper stimulates the breakdown of fat cells, keeping you slim while giving you energy to burn. It is very good in curing common colds & body aches.