Sambar Podi

A sambar is only as good as its podi, and most shop-bought powders are heavy on colour and light on coriander. Ours goes the other way — coriander seed leads, chilli follows, and roasted toor and gram dal give the sambar the body that stops it tasting thin.

Milled fine so it dissolves into the dal without leaving grit at the bottom of the pot.

Use it for any sambar you like — drumstick, small onion, mixed vegetable, or the plain tiffin sambar that goes beside idli in the morning. One heaped teaspoon per serving is the usual measure; add it once the vegetables are half-done so the spices have time to open up.

How to use: 1 heaped tsp per serving. Add to the pot once vegetables are half-cooked. Ingredients (verify): Coriander seeds, dried red chilli, toor dal, gram dal, fenugreek, turmeric, asafoetida, curry leaves. Shelf life: 6 months from packing.