Name: Sambar powder
Yield: Makes 6 tablespoons
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 2 pinches asafoetida powder; 1 tablespoon chana dal; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; 10 large dried chillies; 1 stick cinnamon; 1 teaspoon black peppercorns; 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; 1 tablespoon toor dal

Preparation info

Makes
6 tablespoons

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Spice

By Christine Manfield

Published 1999

About

This masala spice mix is specific to the southern Indian food of Tamil Nadu and is used to flavour dal (lentils) and vegetables cooked together to make sambar, an important part of the daily diet. The dal acts as a thickening agent — look for specific dais in Indian food stores. Use sambar powder as a base flavouring for a vegetable soup or curry.