Sambar Kaaram is the kaaram which is used as a regular curry masala powder from many years ago in Andhra, the regular karam we use in all curries.Sambar powder is completely different from this sambar kaaram.
Curries tastes great by using this kaaram. Generally in our houses from my great grandmother times we are using this spice powder. We dont buy any powder from stores. This is the perfect recipe of kaaram powder. We normally prepare for an year and store it. As we make at home it stays fresh for many days. It is very easy to prepare with very less and all are readily available ingredients.
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Kaaram colour is based on the red chillies we use. We need to use new ones for preparing this kaaram, then it stays fresh for long time. Summer is the better time to prepare sambar kaaram. As we will have more temparatures. Red chillies should be dried properly in sun, then kaaram can be grinded easily.
For more quantities we have to grind in mill but for less quantity for about 3 to 4kgs we can make at home easily. In this post I'm showing for half kg red chillies. All the other ingredients used in this can be used according to the quantity of red chillies you have taken.
In this kaaram we actually use castor oil. By adding this kaaram colour is enhanced. But here I'm using groundnut oil. Anything which is available can be used.
For this kaaram we use cumin seeds that is coarsely grounded(not directly) and adds very tasty flavour to the kaaram. We use this powder for all gravy and semi gravy curries and some fries. In some fries we exclusively use another kaaram that is only used for fries. Curry taste is really yumm when we use homemade kaaram. So now lets quickly checkout the recipe.
Ingredients Required
- Red Chillies - 1/2kg
- Coriander seeds - 100gm
- Cumin seeds - 2tbsp
- Fenugreek seeds - 2tbsp
- Chanadal - 2tbsp
- Uraddal - 2tbsp
- Salt - 250gm
- Garlic - 50gm
- Groundnut oil/castor oil- 1/4cup
Preparation
1. Remove covers of red chillies.
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2. Fry them in low heat for about 2 to 3mins. They should not change colour.
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3. Now let them dry in sun for a day or two. Finally red chillies should be crisp and should easily break.
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4. Now we should fry other ingredients except garlic individually, as it takes different time to fry for each ingredient. Dry roast chanadal, uraddal, fenugreek seeds for about 2 mins each till turns auromatic. Roast coriander seeds for about 3 to 4mins in low heat. And cumins seeds just for 30secs.
5. Now dry roast salt for about 10mins in low heat, it turns slight black colour as shown below. In complete process of preparing this sambar kaaram, this is little lengthy process.
6. Now all ingredients are fried perfectly. Let them cool completely to grind them. First add fried chanadal, uraddal, fenugreek seeds and grind to powder.
7. Now add fried coriander seeds to grinded powder and grind to fine powder.
8. Now grind garlic into coarse paste.
9. Now grind fried salt also into fine powder.
10. Now mix chanadal, fenugreek, uraddal powder, grounded salt, cumin seeds, grinded garlic paste all together.
11. Now grind completely dried red chillies into fine powder.
12. Now add grounded coriander powder into this red chilli powder and mix all together.
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13. Add oil and mix all together. Than mixing with hand just add it to mixi jar and grind it. This is not grinding, its just mixing.
14. Finally you can see the difference between mixing and grinding. Adding oil increases colour to the kaaram.
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15. Finally sambar kaaram is ready to use. It can be stored for an year. You can store it in refrigerator, so that colour also looks new whole year.
Just try it. You will love it for sure. Happy cooking.