Ingredients:
Red Chilly-1Kg
Coriander Seeds-1Kg
Cumin Seeds-250gm
Black Pepper-100gm
This is the quantity for a family of 6. I prepare half of this for our family of 3. On a clean cloth, spread all the ingredients separately and place it in a place where you get direct sunlight for the whole day. As this is done during the summer, one day is enough for the red chilly to become crisp. Take a chilly and try breaking. It should break at one go with out bending. You need not remove the stalks of the chilly as this is ground in a mill. Transfer all the ingredients to a box large enough to hold everything together. With a pestle, crush the red chillies to make space.
Take it to the flour mill and grind it to a fine powder. The powder becomes very hot while grinding, so at the mill, they usually spread it in a large tray and allow the powder to cool for 15minutes before bringing home. Once you are home, spread news papers and spread the powder on it. Cover your face with cloth to avoid burning sensation. Once the powder is cool, sift it to get rid of any large particles. Store in a plastic jar and transfer a small amount to a small jar for daily use. This way the aroma is sealed in the powder. Enjoy the taste of home made sambar powder.
