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The dying art of "Sambar Powder Making"

From the time immemorial, I am used to eating Sambar Rice (sadham) as the first course in our traditional meal.  For that matter, our everyday meal is a traditional meal with 3 courses.. can't help it! One of my pet grouse in this regard is the general decline in the quality of the Sambhar being made at home.  (ok, I am making a bold statement here with the understanding that my wife doesn't read blogs, at the least my blog).

I wore my investigative hat to find out what is really causing this gradual decline in the quality.  I found out that in our house, we have moved away from the age-old traditional way of making the sambhar powder.  It used to be an elaborate exercise involving drying, frying, grinding of what not spices.  So the most plausible alternative to that is to buy the ready-made sambhar powder.

We moved to the ready-made sambhar powder few years ago and have experimented with all available brands starting from Sakthi Sambhar powder to Aaachi to Ambika, but never satisfied with any one of them.  But I always used to crib to my wife that the Sambhar is not up to the mark and I used to make some unwanted jokes like that she should go back to taking lessons on how to make sambhar all over again.

Since couple of weeks the quality of sambhar has improved dramatically, increasing my curiosity to what has happened to cause this positive surprise.  The answer lies in the packet of home-made sambhar powder delivered from my in-laws place.  What a difference to the taste of sambhar?

Now I have started telling my wife that instead of learning to make sambhar, she should learn the secrets of making the sambhar powder.  If luck shines on me, I will able to impress my wife to start making the sambhar powder at home instead of the off-the-shelf sambhar powder.   The only reply I have received so far is a "stern look"! 

5 comments:

Suresh L said...

agree.I've tried a lot of brands by now-nothing really worked out.Finally,mom prepared the powder at home. Heaven :). awesome venky.

King Vishy said...

Am not much of a foodie.. in the sense, I have a less developed sense of taste and I end up relishing almost everything I eat..

If you have such a keen sense of taste, you would be able to cook well too I guess? Lot of foodies I know are very good cooks as well..

Venkysdiary said...

@King Vishy: Thats good for you. I am almost similar to that and eat anything which is given as "vegetarian".

I don't know if I can be called as a "foodie" in the strictest of interpretations. I am not a person who has explored cuisines but I really relish couple of things.
1. a good sambhar and 2. filter coffee.

Cooking is one area where I have never given any serious try at all. Fortunate or unfortunate, not sure, to have grown like that till date.. but one day I will venture in to that.

rajni said...
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rajni said...
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