Homemade Instant Sambhar Mix

My husband keeps buying the commercial brand instant sambhar mix frequently, to serve as a quick side dish along with idlis / dosas. I have been therefore contemplating to prepare it at home from a long time now. This blogging Marathon # 10 seemed like a perfect occasion to try it since I am cooking based on "homemade instant mixes" theme. And so here comes homemade instant sambhar mix on the third day of blogging marathon. It goes well with south Indian breakfast dishes like idlis / dosas / upma and pongal or even rice. And BTW, my husband was praising this home made version and said it tasted a lot better than the store bought one. :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal
2 Tbs chana dal
3-4 Tbsp coriander seeds
Red chillies / chilli powder as per taste (Use byadagi chillies if you prefer a red colored sambhar mix.)
A pinch of fenugreek seeds / methi seeds
1/4 cup grated dried coconut
2 Tbsp rice
Tamarind to taste (or about 3 - 4 Tbsp)
Jaggery to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
Salt to taste
For tadka: 2 Tbsp oil, 1.5 tsp mustard seeds, 1.5 tsp cumin seeds, few curry leaves, few pinches of asafoetida powder 

How to prepare the instant sambhar mix:
1. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop, add the asafoetida powder and curry leaves. Turn off the stove and let the tadka cool.
2. Toast toordal and chanadal in another pan until slightly golden brown. Add coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies if using. Saute until coriander seeds start changing color. Turn off the stove and to the pan, add the remaining ingredients that were not toasted in steps 1 or 2. Let cool.
3. Add toordal, chanadal, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, rice, coconut, tamarind, jaggery, salt, chili powder / red chillies and turmeric powder to a mixer / blender and grind to a fine powder.
4. Add the tadka to the ground powder and mix well.
5. Store it in an airtight container.

Making sambhar:
Add about 2 - 3 Tbsp sambhar mix to each cup of water added and bring to a rolling boil. Garnish with cilantro if preferred.
Frozen veggies / tomatoes / onions can be cooked and added to this to make a more flavorful sambhar.

Note:
The above mix can be added to about 9 - 10 cups of water. (American standard size cup)

Check what other marathoners are cooking, here.

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