¼ teaspoon (½ gram) black pepper corn (use more for flavor & heat)
⅛teaspoonorganic turmeric
½ tablespoon (7 grams) Bengal gram / chana dal sub with toor dal/ urad dal/ rice
3sprigs curry leaves(pat dry)
1bay leaf
4green cardamoms
1inchCeylon cinnamon quill(not cassia)
4cloves
1star anise
1black cardamom
How to make the recipe
On a low to medium heat, toast coriander seeds, black pepper, dried red chilies, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamoms and black cardamom until coriander seeds turn crunchy.
Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Toast until they begin to smell earthy. Remove to a cooling tray.
Add fenugreek seeds and toast on a low heat until they change their color to deep golden & begin to smell nutty. Stir in the mustard and toast just for a minute. Transfer to the cooling tray.
Roast chana dal on a low to medium heat until aromatic, deep golden or light brown. Transfer to the cooling tray.
Add the curry leaves and toast them until crisp. Turn off and transfer.
Add the turmeric to a grinder jar along with all the cooled ingredients. Powder them fine.
Transfer to an air tight glass jar and use as needed. If making a larger batch, store in smaller jars to retain the freshness.