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The best chaaru/rasam podi ever

The essential spice mix to have on hand to make a wide range of rasams
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Ingredients
  

  • 5 cups dhania or coriander seeds 250g [1 cup=50g]
  • 1 heaped cup milagu or black pepper 100g
  • 1 cup jeera 75g
  • ½ cup methi or fenugreek seeds 50g
  • 1 tablespoon toor dal 20g
  • 1 small bundle of fresh curry leaves
  • 8 handfuls dry red chilles 200g [1 handful is approximately 25g]
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds 10g
  • a little ghee or sesame oil to roast curry leaves and red chillies
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions
 

  • Lightly roast all ingredients (except mustard seeds and salt) one by one until fragrant, setting each aside to cool as you go.
  • When roasting the curry leaves and red chillies, add a few drops of ghee or sesame oil. Make sure you roast the curry leaves until crisp and completely dry.
  • Now add all the roasted spices back into the pan, add the mustard seeds and salt, mix and allow to cool completely
  • Grind in batches in a spice blender
  • Bottle and store.
  • This powder keeps well in sealed jars for several months. Refrigerate or freeze for upto a year.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 5 200g bottles of rasam powder. It's easily halved as follows:
  • 2 ½ cups dhania or coriander seeds (125g) [1 cup=50g]
  • ½ cup milagu or black pepper (50g)
  • ½ cup jeera (40g)
  • ½ cup methi or fenugreek seeds (25g)
  • 1 teaspoon toor dal (10g)
  • ½ a small bundle of fresh curry leaves
  • 4 handfuls dry red chilles (100g) [1 handful is approximately 25g]
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (5g)
  • 1 teaspoon salt