Sambar powder is a delicious South Indian style masala powder, which is grinded with a variety of basic Indian spices such as coriander seeds, cumin, mustard, black pepper, dry red chillies, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, dried coconut etc. In South India, it is added to enhance flavor when preparing various types of vegetable lentil sambar. It is a different type of spice powder from South India. Every family has its own way of making it. When it comes to home-made masala powder, I always make all the spices at home in small quantities. Garam masala is the only powder that I use in making everyday meals such as vegetables, lentils. The rest of the spices are rarely used. Even in small amounts, they last for 5-6 months. 
If you keep making sambar mostly then you can make this spice in large quantities. You can make the recipe below by double or triple. It is also called Sambhar Masala or Sambhar Pauri. This spice powder makes a very tasty and good sambar. If you are making this masala powder in large quantities, I suggest keeping it in a large container. And remove the spices in a small box for use. And when finished, add spices to a small box every week. By doing this you will not open a big box daily, i.e. the spice will remain fresh for a long time. So, if you also want to prepare a bowl of sambar at any time quickly, then you can make this spice.
Sambar Masala
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup dry red chillies
- 1 cup dried coriander seeds
- ½ cup split Bengal gram channa dal
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, methi
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds, jeera
- ½ teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon piece
- ½ dry coconut grated
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, rai
- Few curry leaves kadhi patta
- Oil as required
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan.
- Add the whole red chillies, sauté on low flame for 1 minute, remove from the pan and keep aside.
- Pour 1 teaspoon of oil in the same pan, add whole coriander seeds, fry on a low flame until the color starts changing, take out from the pan and keep aside.
- Likewise, fry each material separately on low flame until you smell a nice aroma and it turns slightly light brown.
- Let it cool, grind them all to make a fine powder.
- Store sambar masala in an air tight container.
- Here is the powder ready for delicious Sambar.
Tips:
- Add 1-tablespoon powder while preparing sambar for 3-persons.
- Roast all ingredients in a heavy based pan over low flame to avoid burning.
- Add dry red chillies according to your preference to reduce spiciness.
- If you sun dry all ingredients separately for minimum 2 hours, you can store sambar powder for longer period.
- You can add salt while grinding, but be cautious while adding salt to sambar.
