Sambar Powder / South Indian Sambar Masala / Step by Step Pictures of the Recipe

Small kids usually do not like spicy food. Therefore I've used only  40  Byadagi dry red chillies in this sambar powder which is rich in colour and less spicy.  Byadagi red chillies are less pungent and deep in red colour in comparison to spicy  Guntur dry red chillies.  I'll adjust chilli powder while making sambar.

Ingredients:
2 cups curry leaves
40 dry red chillies / (byadagy chilli )
2 + 3/4 cups split bengal gram / chana dal
1 + 1/3 cups split black gram / udad dal
2 + 3/4 cups coriander seeds / dhania seeds
1 + 1/3 cups cumin seeds / jeera
1/2 cup fenugreek seeds / methi dana
2 tbsp black pepper / kaali mirch
12 x 5" pieces cinnamon / dalchini
60 cloves / lavang
5 tsp asafoetida powder / hing
2  + 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder / haldi
1/2  cup oil
Method :

Measure the ingredients using standard cups and spoons or any other utensils of similar size. Measurement cups and spoons are as shown in the picture below.

Measure all the ingredients and keep them aside as shown in the picture below. Handpick and clean all the ingredients.

Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a frying pan and fry curry leaves and  dry red chillies separately till they become crisp. Remove from the pan.  Keep them aside. In the same frying pan fry  split bengal gram, split black gram, coriander seeds, cumin seeds,  fenugreek seeds, black pepper, cinnamon pieces and cloves separately  till they become crisp. Do not fry asafoetida powder and turmeric powder.

  

Mix all the fried ingredients together and allow them to cool.
After this add asafoetida powder and turmeric powder to the fried ingredients and mix them well. Grind them together  in a mixer into a fine powder.

Sieve the powder on a medium sieve and mix  the powder well. Store this powder in an air tight container. After grinding the above ingredients, you'll get the sambar powder as shown in the picture below. It can be stored for about 6 - 7 months.