Valentine's Day Special: Idli and sambar, a match made in culinary heaven

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion when we recall some of the evergreen romantic pairs in literature or the silver screen. Food too plays a vital role on this special day, appealing to the senses of the lovers. If there is an inseparable pair in the world of food, it is the iconic idli and sambar. The soft idli gets soaked in the rich and aromatic gravy of the sambar and creates magic on the pallet. The secret of the fabulous aroma and taste of the sambar lies in the perfect masala. Here is how you could make sambar powder pretty easily at home.

Ingredients
½ cups coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin
15-20 dried chillies
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp pepper corns
2 tbsp yellow split dal
1 tbsp urad dal
3-4 sprigs curry leaves
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp asafoetida
2 tsp turmeric powder

Preparation
Dry roast each ingredient separately in a pan
After the spices have cooled down, grind them by adding turmeric powder and asafoetida
Sore the sambar masala powder in an airtight container.
Note: Adding a bit of moong dal while cooking toor dal would make sambar rich and tasty. You could save time if you prepare sambar powder in advance and store in air tight container.