Procedure for making Sambar powder:
Required:
துவரம் பருப்பு 100 gm (Toor Dal)
கடலைப்பருப்பு 100 gm (Channa Dal)
மல்லி 4 times 800 gm (Coriander seeds)
கடுகு 50 gm (mustard)
மிளகு 50 gm (black pepper)
பெருங்காயம் 50 gm ( Asafoetida, in block form)
விரலி மஞ்சள் 100 gm (curcumin turmeric)
வெந்தயம் 50 gm ( methi seeds)
வத்தல் 1/2 kg ( Dry red chillis)
Dry the above either in natural sunlight for a day or two, or in the oven, enough for it feel dry and be given to a machine for powdering it. Make sure that the turmeric is broken down tino much smaller pieces ebfore powdering. Same with Asafoetida. Block Asaofetida is advisable as opposed to powedered asafoetida, since that gives much better flavour.
If you are in India, then mills that help you powder rice or wheat into Atta, can do the powring job. Alternatively, you an get it done in at home in a mixie, but make sure that you use the right size sieve, to completely sieve off, to avoid any lumps in the sambar. Store this powder in a dry jar ( preferable to leave the jar in the sunlight ebfore storing). Youa re good to go, for a few months with this.
Rasam Powder : essentially the same as sambar powder above, except that about 75 gm of Jeera is powdered and added to the above.
Procedure for making sambar for two people:
Required:
2 to 3 handfuls of Toor Dal
Tamarind - 1 lime size - sokaed and nicely juiced up. be sure to remove the seeds and other fibres, and use only the paste/ puree.
1 1/2 tea spoons of sambar powder.
Enough salt, to suit your profile.
Vegetables.
Turmeric powder - one pinch
Rice flour - 1/2 teaspoon ( if you wish to make the sambar thick. I normally dont)
Mustard seeds - one teaspoon.
2 green chillis - if you like the sambar spicy. I normally skip.
Asafoetida powder - one pinch
Gingely Oil - one teaspon
Curry leaves - about 20.
Coriander leaves - for garnishing.
Make Tamarind pureee/ paste first. Side by side, cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker, by adding enough water on top, and the turmeric in the water). The resultant dal should be masheable by hand. Typically, the dal is cooked along with the rice, in the cooker ( about 6 whistles in a Presitege pressure cooker).
Add the tamarind puree, sambar powder and salt in a vessel, with about 2 cups of water. Taste it for appropriate salt, tamarind or sambar poweder , and add as approriate to correct the proportion. The concoction should be just hot for the tongue to ebar the "spice", and enough tamarind to feel the sourness, plus, of course, enough salt.
Bring this concoction to a boil. Add the cut vegtables, and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes ( depending upon the veggie) for it to be cooked enough. Add 1/2 teaspoon of rice flour, if you like the sambar very thick, and allow it to cook. Then add the mashed and cooked dal into this concoction. Switch off the stove immediately after this comes back to a boil. Over-boiling will give a foul smell of the dal, so be careful to switch off at the right time.
Add a tadka of mustard, asaofetida, freen chillis ( if you want), curry leaves to this sambar. Add fresh coriander leaves as garnish.
Delicious home-made sambar is now ready to be served.
HOME MADE RASAM for two:
Required:
1 to 1 handfuls of Toor Dal
Tamarind - 1/1 lime size - soaked and nicely juiced up. be sure to remove the seeds and other fibres, and use only the paste/ puree.
3/4 tea spoons of sambar powder.
Enough salt, to suit your profile.
One cut tomato (large).
Turmeric powder - one pinch
Mustard seeds - one teaspoon.
2 green chillis - if you like the rasam spicy. I normally skip.
Asafoetida powder - one pinch
Gingely Oil - one teaspon
Coriander leaves - for garnishing.
Cook dal in a cooker as above. Make a more watery concotion of rasam/ sambar power, tamarind and salt, as above. Less spicy than sambar, and definitely less sour, since the tomato will add to the sourness.
Bring this to a boil for about 5 to 10 minutes until raw smell of the sambar poweder goes away, Then add the tomato and cook for a couple fo minutes. Add the mashed dal, bring to a boil, and switch off. Complete the tadka as above, and garnishing of corander. You are now ready to serve rasam either as a soup or with hot rice and a spoon of ghee...
