Sambar Powder Recipe : How to Make Sambar Masala Recipe at Home

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For all the avid fans of South Indian food dishes, you must know how to make Sambar. It is one of the most common accompaniment served with idli, uttapa or dosa. The core ingredient required to make Sambar at home is the Sambar Powder or the Sambar Masala. The entire taste of Sambar relies on this one spice-mix powder that goes into its making. This Sambar powder recipe is easy to follow and needs only few common condiments.

Sambar Powder

Author: Vishal Agrawal
Recipe Category: Spices & Powders
Cuisine: Indian

Description: This Sambar powder recipe is easy to follow and needs only a few common condiments.The key to make the tasty and scrumptious Sambar in the Sambar Powder.

Sambar Powder Recipe

Let’s Learn to Make Sambar Powder at home step by step.

Ingredients for Sambar Powder Recipe:

Coriander Seeds (Dhania) – ½ cup
Mustard Seeds (Rai) – ½ tbsp.
Dry Red Chillies (Sukhi Lal Mirch) – 15 units
Asafoetida (Hing) – ½ tbsp.
Turmeric Powder (Haldi) – ½ tbsp.
Curry leaves (Kadi Patta) – 1/3 cup
Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) – 2 tbsp.
Split Black Gram (Urad Dal) – 1 tbsp.
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) – 2 tbsp.
Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) – 1 tbsp.
Cumin seeds (Jeera) – 2 tbsp.

Note: You can approximately take 40 grams of coriander seeds. You may use yellow lentils (Arhar Dal) and rice as well in the preparation of Sambar powder.

Steps for Sambar Masala Recipe:

To make the Sambar Masala Powder at home, you need first roast or sun-dry the whole spices. Then you can grind these whole spices into the powder form.

Roasting the Whole Spices:

Coriander and Cumin Seeds:

Take a non-stick pan and place it on the stove.
Turn on the flame and heat the pan.
Now, add ½ cup of coriander seeds (Dhania) in it.
Add 2 tbsp. of cumin seeds (Jeera).
Roast both ingredients and keep stirring while roasting.
While roasting the seeds, keep the flame low to avoid burning.
You must roast them till they are aromatic and fragrant.
They would also change the colour and become dark.
After 2 minutes the cumin seeds and coriander seeds would be roasted.
Turn off the flame and transfer them into a plate.
Allow them to cool and come to room temperature.

Note: While roasting the seeds, keep the flame low. Avoid burning of the spice seeds.

Roasting Dry Red Chilli:

Now, with the help of a dry cloth or kitchen napkin, clean the pan.
Again place the pan on the stove and it heat it.
Take red chillies and remove the upper crown
Now, add dry red chillies in the pan and roast.
Stir them until they get roasted.
They would smell pungent after they are roasted.
Once they get roasted, transfer them into the same plate with Jeera and Dhania.

Note: You can break the dry red chillies and deseed them before roasting.

Roasting Methi Seeds:

Once again, take the pan and clean it.
Then keep it on the stove to heat.
Take the Methi seeds and clean them
Remove if they are have any impurities.
Discard the seed with worms or insect bites.
Roast them on medium heated pan.
Stir in between to avoid the burning of seeds.
Roast till they become brown in colour.
Turn off the flame and transfer Methi seeds to plate.

Note: Do not over roast the Methi seeds. They would become hard. After roasting Methi Seeds, transfer them into the same plate with other spices.

Roasting Black Pepper:

Roast the black peppers same as Methi Seeds.
Clean the pan and keep to heat it on stove.
Then add 1 tbsp. black pepper to roast in the pan.
Let them roast till they are aromatic.
Turn off the flame and transfer them to the plate.

Note: Add the roasted black pepper to the plate in which you added other spices.

Roasting Chana Dal:

Again clean the pan using kitchen napkin.
Again place the pan on the stove and heat it.
Now, add 2 tbsp. Chana dal in the pan and roast it.
Stir Chana dal while roasting.
After 3 to 4 minutes, check Chana Dal.
You will notice Chana dal changing colour to golden brownish.
As the Chana dal get roasted, turn off the flame.
Transfer the Chana dal into the same plate.

Note: Chana Dal takes longer time to cook when compared with other spices.

Roasting Urad Dal:

Do the same process with 1 tbsp. Urad dal.
Clean the pan with the dry napkin.
Heat the pan over the medium flame on stove.
Add the 1 tbsp. Urad Dal in the pan.
Stir and roast the Urad Dal.
Wait till the lentils become golden in colour.
You will get the nice smell from the roasted urad dal.
Turn off the flame and transfer the Urad Dal to plate.

Note: Continuously keep stirring while roasting Urad Dal to avoid burning.

Frying Fresh Herbs:

Now, clean the pan again and place it back on the stove.
Add 1/3 cup curry leaves to the heated pan.
Fry them till they become crispy and crunchy.
Wait for curry leaves to become crisp.
Once they are roasted, take them and keep aside.
Then, add ½ tbsp. mustard seeds in the pan.
Let mustard seeds crackle for a while.
When the mustard seeds stops popping, take them.
Transfer them from the pan to the plate.
Now, switch off the flame of the stove.
Then add 1 pinch of Hing in the pan.
Quickly give a stir to the Hing.
The Hing would change colour and become aromatic.
Now, remove the Hing from pan and keep it aside.
Mix mustard seeds, curry leaves and Hing nicely.
Now, transfer them into the same plate.
Spread everything throughout the plate.
Let these spice mixture cool down.
Wait till it comes to the normal temperature.

Note: You can add fresh or dried curry leaves. You can add everything at the same time and fry together.

How to Make Sambar Powder:

As soon as the spices are cooled to normal temperature, you can proceed for grinding.
Take mixer-grinder jar and clean it with dry cloth.
Now, add ½ tbsp. turmeric powder (Haldi) in the jar.
Add the cooled spices too in the jar.
Now, grind the spices into fine and smooth powder.
If you are grinding in batches, grind all the batches and then transfer the Sambar masala in the plate.
Sieve it and collect the spices which are not grinded.
Grind these spices again and add to the Sambar powder.
After grinding all the batches, let the Sambar powder cool down.
Once the Sambar powder is cooled down, transfer it into an air-tight container.
Use the Sambar powder when making Sambar.
Store Sambar powder in cool and dry place.

And the Sambar Powder is ready to use.

Note: If you mixer grinder is small in size, then make the powder in small batches. Add the cooled spices in different batches if the jar is small.

Additional Information:

Calories: 426 calories
Total Time: PT15M
Serves: 200 Grams
Date Published: 2017-02-18

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The key to make the tasty and scrumptious Sambar in the Sambar Powder. Even the entire preparation of Sambar gets simpler if you have Sambar Powder in your kitchen. It is an easy to make spice mix powder. If you are looking to prepare the Sambar quickly, then you must learn how to make authentic Sambar powder at home. This aromatic spice powder is used specially to make Sambar but you can use it for any other South Indian varieties as well.

The homemade Sambar masala is always fresh and aromatic when compared with store bought. To prepare Sambar masala at home, you need to dry roast the whole spices. It is a tangy and a tarty mixture of various spices which are added while preparing Sambar. It is quite handy and useful if Sambar is one of your staple food. This homemade version of samba powder is healthy and hygienic. You can make it in bulk and store in an airtight glass jar. The blend of various spices provides heat and warmth in the body.

This spice mix powder can be added with various vegetables and lentils during the preparation of Sambar to enhance its flavour. The spice powder has a bit of coarse texture. The most basic Indian condiments are roasted and grinding to prepare the Sambar Powder. You can add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorn, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, and coconut along with lentils. All the various spices infuse flavours and fragrance in the Sambar Powder. You can make this powder with humble and subtle spiciness as well.

Remarks:

Always use the fresh spices to make the best Sambar powder.
As soon as the Masala cools down, store in the jar.
Use the dry spoon while adding masala to the jar.
After adding the Sambar masala in jar, tap the jar.
You may shake the jar properly for powder to settle.
Also you must store Sambar powder in small container.
Whenever you take out Sambar powder, use dry and clean spoon.
It is very important to closely tight the lid of the container.
You can store this powder at room temperature.
Do not skip to add red chillies or black pepper.

Serving:

Add the Sambar Powder whenever you are making the spicy and hot vegetable Sambar. You can sprinkle this Sambar masala powder in various south Indian curries and gravy dishes. You can a pinch of Sambar masala powder in stir-fries or simple dishes. The addition of Sambar masala can enrich the taste of the roasted or grilled vegetables as well. It can also be stirred into mashed potatoes smeared with melted butter.

Once the Sambar Powder is ready, you can use it in place of homemade Rasam powder used for making of Rasam like:

For the serving of 3 to 4 person, you can add 1 tbsp. of Sambar powder.

Quick Tip:

You must use the heavy bottomed thick pan for roasting spices.
Do not refrigerate the Sambar Powder.
Keep the container of Sambar powder in the kitchen cupboard.
Store the powder in your everyday masala box.
For the less spicy Sambar powder, use Kashmiri red chillies.
Adding too many Methi seeds can make the powder bitter.
You must clean coriander seeds, cumin seed and fenugreek seeds.
The spices should smell aromatic.
The dry red chillies must not have any molds.
The dry red chillies must not be moist.
You may add salt to the Sambar Powder but only a pinch.

No other combination of spices can beat this flavourful and aromatic Sambar powder. There is a perfect combination of various spices in this homemade Sambar powder recipe. The whole spices used for making this powder are roasted to give the authentic flavour. The blend of all these spices do give heat to the body but it does not have too much heat as well.

At times, we may wonder that why to work hard and make the masala powder at home when it’s readily available. But homemade Sambar powder is way healthier and economical than the store bought. Also, it can be prepared without any additives and preservatives. In the homemade Sambar Powder, you can be flexible with the ingredients and their proportions. You can make it less spicy or make with more heat, it shall taste wonderful.

Also, you can roast the spices of your choice. Even you may roast with the method that is preferred to you. These whole spices can be roasted in pan, or you can let them dry naturally in the sun. At times, you may also keep them in oven to dry roast. The order in which you want to roast is also dependent on your choice. You can roast lentils first and spices or you can roast spices first and then lentils. You must roast the spices and lentils till they are aromatic but you must not burn them.

The spices would become bitter if they are burned. Also, if you over roast them, they would turn too crisp. So you must be careful while roasting the spices and the lentils. Always roast these spices on a low flame to avoid burning and over roasting. Once these ingredients are roasted, you must allow them to cool. Do not grind the spices in haste without letting them cool. Then grind everything together or separately. It is quite easy and simple to grind the roasted spices as compared with the un-roasted spices.

This Sambar Powder is extremely easy to prepare once you are done with roasting. You must not skip the roasting of the spices, it is of very much importance. There is no substitution or alternative to roasting of these ingredients. The entire taste of the Sambar Powder is dependent on how you roast these spices. Even roasting separately and roasting together always make a difference in taste. Dry roasting the spices helps them to become aromatic and flavourful. It releases the hidden oil in these spices. So roasting the dry spices is very crucial for making Sambar Powder at home.