Sambar powder | homemade sambar masala

This easy homemade sambar masala is perfect for using in all your favourite Southern India dishes. Sambar masala (as the name gives away!) is most commonly added to a Southern India lentil and vegetable stew called sambar. I have two recipes for sambar on my blog - an easy one-pot pressure cooker sambar and a more authentic style sambar. Besides these two recipes, I sometimes also add sambar powder to stir fries and sabzis (veggie dishes) for an extra depth of flavour!

Ingredients 
100g chana dal (spilt Bengal gram) 
100g skinned black urad dal (white in colour)
50g whole coriander (dhaniya) 
25g cumin seeds (jeera) 
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds 

1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tbsp black mustard seeds
10-15 curry leaves chopped 
10 dried red Kashmiri chillies

Method

• In a dry frying pan on medium-low heat, add the chana dal & urad dal. Dry roast until lightly toasted. Set aside in a bowl. 
  
  
• In the same pan, add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds, whole peppercorns and mustard seeds. Dry roast until fragrant and lightly toasted. Add them to the same bowl as the chana & urad dal. 
  
  
• Next, roast the chopped curry leaves until crisp. Add them to the same bowl as the roasted dal & spices.
  
  
• Finally, roast the dried Kashmiri red chillies. Let them develop a darker colour and then add to the same bowl. 
  
  
• Let the roasted dal, spices, curry leaves and chillies cool down completely. Letting the spices cool ensures that there is no moisture from the heat when it comes to grinding - this would ruin the masala as the spices will tend to clump. 
  
  
• When cool, add to a grinder and grind until a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar or container for 2-3 months!

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