Rasam powder

Rasam is a south indian dish that is prepared with tamarind pulp and tomato pureé as a base with powdered spices as seasoning. It is part of a traditional meal in most south indian homes and is of fluid consistency and helps aid in digestion (from what I've heard). Rasam powder is easy to prepare and stores well in an airtight container. Personally, I think recipes taste so much better when you use homemade spice blends compared to store-bought and they are economical too. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coriander seeds
1/2 cup tur dhal
1/4 cup black pepper powder
1/4 cup cumin seeds
8-10 dry red chillies (adjust to taste)

Method:

In a pan, dry roast the coriander seeds until you get an aroma from it. Set aside.

Dry roast tur dhal, black pepper powder, cumin seeds and dry red chillies for 3-4 mins. Allow the roasted ingredients to cool and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container and use 2-3 tsp (makes it a bit spicy, so adjust to suit your taste) to make any rasam of your choice.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.