Instant Sambar Mix -
Aparna Rao (from traditional knowledge, personal experience and inspired from good old Youtube esp. Hyderabadi Ruchulu)
Ingredients - 1 cup tur dal,
1/4 cup bengal gram (chana dal), tamarind - 2 tablespoons (a bit more or less as per taste - I add a bit more because it gets mixed with other items later so gets balanced),
3 - tablespoons coriander seeds,
dried chillies - 10-12 ( I take 14 since I use bedgi mirch - the less spicy ones),
1/2 cup - curry leaves,
1 teaspoon, cumin seeds,
1/4 teaspoon -fenugreek seeds,
1/4 teaspoon - pepperr,
3-4 cloves,
2-3 elaichi (whole cardamom, no need to extract seeds),
2-3 small pieces - 1 inch each - cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon - turmeric powder - ,
1 1/2 teaspoon salt.
For Tadka - 2-3 tablespoons oil, 3-4 dried chillies, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Cumin, dried curry leaves (optional)
Method: Take a thick bottom kadhai, dry roast on slow flame all the ingredients, one by one - separately and transfer to a plate; in the plate you can have all the roasted items together- order I follow is: Tur dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, then cumin, fenugreek, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon can be roasted together, not too long though because by now the kadhai is quite hot, transfer these to the plate with the rest of roasted items, now add in red chillies and roast, empty the kadhai, add in curry leaves - roast till all the moisture evaporates, add to plate, last of all put in the tamarind and heat for a minute or so and add it to the plate. Constantly stirring the stuff being roasted will prevent it from getting overdone; let them cool; add to the mixer jar, add in the turmeric and salt and grind. Transfer to a bowl or the same plate. By now people have started asking you what's cooking 😂. Now, heat oil in the kadhai , sputter mustard seeds, add in cumin, the dried chillies and kadi patta and hing if you want. Add this tadka to the powdered mixture. Your mix is ready.
