Friday, June 22, 2007  Sambhar Powder  My first attempts at
cooking always involved using Sambhar Powder. The mere fact that
I had Sambhar Powder prepared by ammayi in the pantry gave me a
lot of confidence! This is how my ammayi prepares it and there
is a whole host of people including my mom and aunt who cannot
survive without it. Linda, here it is specially for you.  1. Red
Chillies - 4 Cups 2. Corriander Seeds - 1 1/2 Cups 3. Kadalai
Paruppu (Chana Dal/Black Gram Dal) - 1 tbsp 4. Urad Dal (Black
Gram Dal) - 1 tbsp 5. Cumin - 1/2 tbsp 6. Pepper - 1 tsp 7.
Methi Seeds - 1 tbsp 8. Asfoetida - 1/2 tsp 9. Mustard seeds
(black, Indian variety small ones) - 1/2 tsp 10. Curry leaves
(fresh or dried) - 2 Sprigs  Tip: Dry all the ingredients in the
sun for about 2 hours (optional)  Roast each of the ingredients
one by one in a medium low flame, till they turn color slightly.
As they get roasted they start to get a darker color, at this
point stop. Do not let them turn black (have to throw away if
they turn black).