jabeen wrote:
rambabu wrote:
jabeen wrote:
usha manohar wrote:
Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:
Usha wrote: Sometimes I buy the powder from MTR which is very good but at times has too much salt in it . I guess it depends on the different batches made at different times . Some local brands too are very good..
I agree, I sometimes buy MTR and it is quite okay, but the ones that are made locally are sourced from women who make these masalas and powders at home using traditional recipes and methods. These are the best. My mother visits Tirupati and I ask her to get the sambar masala from shops around it, she gets this one local brand called Achi or Achchi, don't remember but it is simply delicious and the best one I had so far. Similarly my sister once persuaded a small hotel owner at Tirupati to sell her the chutney powder and that too was the best I tasted until now.
Aachi masala powders are available here too although I have not tried it. There is a local brand called Maiyas which is very good , their Sambhar and Rasam powder is as good as the ones we freshly make at home. Earlier , most home makers would make pickles at home so also Sambhar powder and Rasam powder . I make pickles since we have plenty of pickle mangoes at home and amla growing in my ancestral home. But Sambhar powder and Rasam powder ,I make just enough rather than make in large quantities and store ..
By the way Kalyani , do you prepare sabudana vada since I heard Maharashtrians make it often . If you do please post it here since I would love to try it out at home.
What is sambar powder? Is it anything special that should be added in sambar?
Sambar powder is a flavorful South Indian style coarse textured spices powder prepared by grinding various type of basic Indian spices like Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds, dry coconut etc with Chana dal . You can add some grated vegetables, That is up to you
Chana dal and grated vegetables are stored as powder?? Didn't know that. In that case do you sun dry the vegetables before making them into powder? Normally when I prepare sambhar i add only freshly cut vegetables. I ve never added coconut. I should try it next time
Honestly I dont know from where rambabu gets his facts from and even when he is wrong he is so bombastic about it..
Jabeen, you are absolutely right , Sambhar powder has absolutely no grated vegetables nor does it have any coconut in it . It is only the dry spices ground to a fine powder and added along with tamarind pulp to the cooked dhal and vegetables.
I normally use dry spices for making Sambhar powder in the following order.
Coriander seeds 2 tb sp, Chana dhal or toor dhal 1 tb sp , Raw rice 1 tsp, mustard seeds 1 tsp, Red chillies 4 or 5 ,cumin seeds 1tsp and a few curry leaves and hing powder a pinch . Dry roast all of them without burning and grind to a fine powder when it is cool.