Sambhar Spice Kit

So far, out of all the Raw Spice Bar monthly spice kits I’ve received, March’s Sambhar Spice Kit has been my favorite! I absolutely love Indian cuisine, but cooking these authentic dishes at home is such a daunting task, and I need all the help I can get. This month’s kit included three amazingly aromatic spice blends that gave my recipes that restaurant-quality I always strive to achieve on my own:

Mango Toasted Chaat – coriander, cumin, ajwain (small seed-like herb that denotes flavors of thyme, oregano, anise, and cumin), black salt, red chilies, amchoor (dried green mango powder), asafetida (the dried resin collected from the asafetida plant, indigenous to India; has an acrid onion-garlic taste that becomes much more mild and palatable upon cooking), ginger, black peppercorns, mint, paprika

Sambhar Masala – coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cayenne, curry leaves, black peppercorns, yellow mustard seeds, yellow split peas, poppy seeds, cinnamon

Panch Phoran – black mustard seeds, fenugreek, nigella seeds (tiny, crunchy, black seeds with a nutty, oniony essence), cumin seeds, fennel seeds

All of the recipes I used the spice blends in were from the suggested recipes that came with the kit, with my personal touches, of course!

First, I made the Sambhar Masala lentils. I make lentils quite often, but the Sambhar Masala took these pulses to the next level. I added more ginger than what the recipe called for, and I also added a minced jalapeno for some extra heat. Furthermore, I omitted the sweet potatoes, since I was going to use them in the Panch Phoran roasted potato recipe, and I used an entire cup of red split lentils, instead of the 6 ounces called for in the recipe, to make it a heartier dish.

For the Panch Phoran potatoes, I swapped sweet potatoes in place of the red potatoes, which turned out to be an excellent substitution. The Panch Phoran spice blend is a strong mix of chilies and aromatic seeds, so the starchy sweetness from the potatoes perfectly complemented the heat.

Finally, for the Toasted Mango Chaat blend, I made the roasted carrots. Hubby said he would eat carrots everyday if I made them this way, so if that isn’t enough to convince you of how delicious these carrots were, then I don’t know what else would!

Here are all the recipes for this Punjabi feast! (You’ll notice all of these recipes are completely vegan and gluten-free, so another reason I so loved this month’s Indian-themed spice kit so much!)

Sambhar Masala Lentils

8 oz. red split lentils, rinsed and drained
2 cups carrots, diced
2 cups steamed green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can diced tomatoes, or 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
3-inch piece of ginger, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1-2 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 packet of Raw Spice Bar Sambhar Masala spice blend
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

In a large pot, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Stir and season with salt and black pepper. Add in the carrots, and season again with salt and black pepper if needed. Allow the vegetables to sweat and cook down for about 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the vegetables begin to brown too much. Add in the Raw Spice Bar Sambhar Masala spice packet and allow the spices to toast with the vegetables for about 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, and about 1-2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and place the lid over the pot to allow the lentils to cook. Simmer for about 20 minutes, adding more water if all the liquid gets absorbed. Continue to cook the lentils until they are tender, but not mushy (about 30 minutes total). Within the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, add in the steamed green beans and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with rice.

Roasted Chaat Carrots

2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut on a bias into 1-inch pieces
3-4 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 packet of Raw Spice Bar Mango Toasted Chaat blend
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
2 scallions, minced for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss the carrots with avocado oil and the Raw Spice Bar Mango Toasted Chaat. Spread the carrots onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the carrots are caramelized. Garnish with fresh cilantro and minced scallions.

Panch Phoran Sweet Potatoes

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
3-4 Tbsp. avocado oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 packet of Raw Spice Bar Panch Phoran blend
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss the sweet potatoes with the Raw Spice Bar Panch Phoran spice blend, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and avocado oil. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 35-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and slightly caramelized. Garnish with fresh cilantro.