The Dalma is an iconic dish of Odisha. Similar to sambar, its also made by cooking lentils with vegetables, but it doesnt have the pungency and sourness of sambar. Instead of that, it has a sweet and earthy smell. Infact, you dont need this spice blend to make Dalma at all.
This spice blend is often used to enhance the Dalma made in temples. These kind of blends are not mandatory but this is what makes the difference between homemade Dalma and Temple Dalma. Most homemade Dalmas recipes dont have any spice blend at all, except for those in the tempering or in some cases just roasted cumin and chilies.
Most of these Dalma Masala Blends have cumin as their base ingredient for that earthy flavor. My version of this masala blend is as follows:-
Dalma Masala
A spice Blend for Odia Dalma
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp cumin seed
- 10 clove
- 1/4 tbsp black peppercorn
- 1 stick cinnamon 6 inch
- 3 black cardamom
- 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
- Dry roast everything until fragrant and slightly dark brown in color over a low heat..
- Grind everything into a fine powder and strain through a sieve.
- Discard the grits as much as possible.
Notes
- Since its a dry roasted blend, always use it at the end of the cooking.
- This blend is known for its earthy-sweet aroma that it brings to Dalma.
- These kind of roasted cumin based blends are used in temples to enhance the Dalma, where they considered a Prasad.