Sambar masala powder is a traditional South Indian spice blend made from a combination of perfectly roasted and ground spices such as coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, garlic, and salt along with lentils.
Go through my straightforward recipe to learn the steps to make sambar masala powder at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Sambar masala powder adds flavor of South India to dishes.
- Store the powder in a glass airtight jar. Do not refrigerate.
- In addition to sambar, this powder enhances the taste of rasam, pitla, and other dishes.
- Sambar masala powder typically offers a spicy, and tangy taste.
- A similar taste is offered by rasam powder and Madras curry powder.
How to Make Sambar Masala Powder? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take a frying pan and heat it on a low flame on your gas stove. When it is hot, add a cup of split chickpeas (chana dal) to the pan.
Step 2: Follow it with a cup of black gram split (mash dal).
Step 3: Now, add 1 cup of split pigeon peas (toor dal) to the frying pan.
Step 4: Stir all the lentils in the frying pan continuously to dry roast them for about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Remove the pan from the gas stove when you notice the color of the lentils has changed, indicating they are roasted nicely and there is no moisture in them. Transfer them to a plate and keep them aside to cool.
Step 6: Now, add 1 cup of coriander seeds in the same pan.
Step 7: Stir them continuously for about a minute until they are roasted nicely and you notice a slight change in their color.
(Pro tip: Remove the pan and transfer the roasted coriander seeds immediately to the plate to prevent them from being over-roasted).
Step 8: Now, put ½ cup of fenugreek seeds and ½ cup of cumin seeds into the pan.
Step 9: Roast them nicely by stirring them continuously for about a minute or two and you notice their color change to a slight golden brown. Keep them aside.
Step 10: Now, put 1 cup of fresh curry leaves into the pan.
Step 11: Stir them continuously for about a minute so that they lose their moisture and do not get burnt but become crisp.
Step 12: Now, put 12 to 15 pieces of dry red chilies into the pan. Stir them and roast them nicely until they emit their natural aroma.
Step 13: Now, take a clean and dry grinder.
Step 14: When the roasted spices and lentils are cool enough, transfer them all and the red chilies to the grinder.
(Pro tip: If your grinder is small, you can grind the ingredients in small batches. However, make sure you add the subsequent ingredients in appropriate portions as well).
Step 15: Add ¼ cup of garlic without their skin to the grinder.
Step 16: Follow it with 1 tbsp of regular table salt.
Step 17: Grind the ingredients to a fine powder.
Step 18: Take a clean and dry bowl.
Step 19: Transfer the powder from the grinder to the bowl and your sambar masala powder is ready to be used.
Recipe Card
Sambar Masala Powder
Ingredients
- 1 cup Split chickpeas (chana dal)
- 1 cup Black gram split (mash dal)
- 1 cup Split pigeon peas (toor dal)
- 1 cup Coriander seeds
- ½ cup Fenugreek seeds
- ½ cup Cumin seeds
- 1 cup Fresh curry leaves
- 12 pieces Dry red chilies
- ¼ cup Garlic (skin removed)
- 1 tbsp Table salt
Instructions
- Take a frying pan and heat it on a low flame on your gas stove. When it is hot, add a cup of split chickpeas (chana dal) to the pan.
- Follow it with a cup of black gram split (mash dal).
- Now, add 1 cup of split pigeon peas (toor dal) to the frying pan.
- Stir all the lentils in the frying pan continuously to dry roast them for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the gas stove when you notice the color of the lentils has changed, indicating they are roasted nicely and there is no moisture in them. Transfer them to a plate and keep them aside to cool.
- Now, add 1 cup of coriander seeds in the same pan.
- Stir them continuously for about a minute until they are roasted nicely and you notice a slight change in their color.(Pro tip: Remove the pan and transfer the roasted coriander seeds immediately to the plate to prevent them from being over-roasted).
- Now, put ½ cup of fenugreek seeds and ½ cup of cumin seeds into the pan.
- Roast them nicely by stirring them continuously for about a minute or two and you notice their color change to a slight golden brown. Keep them aside.
- Now, put 1 cup of fresh curry leaves into the pan.
- Stir them continuously for about a minute so that they lose their moisture and do not get burnt but become crisp.
- Now, put 12 to 15 pieces of dry red chilies into the pan. Stir them and roast them nicely until they emit their natural aroma.
- Now, take a clean and dry grinder.
- When the roasted spices and lentils are cool enough, transfer them all and the red chilies to the grinder.(Pro tip: If your grinder is small, you can grind the ingredients in small batches. However, make sure you add the subsequent ingredients in appropriate portions as well).
- Add ¼ cup of garlic without their skin to the grinder.
- Follow it with 1 tbsp of regular table salt.
- Grind the ingredients to a fine powder.
- Take a clean and dry bowl.
- Transfer the powder from the grinder to the bowl and your sambar masala powder is ready to be used.
Notes
- I always use fresh and high-quality spices to make sambar masala powder at home. This guarantees best flavor and authentic taste.
- Roasting the spices is important and therefore you must control the time and temperature precisely. I suggest keeping the flame of your gas stove low to prevent over-roasting or burning the spices which may result in a bitter taste.
- Remove the spices when they turn golden-brown and spread them on a plate to cool down completely before grinding. This is a crucial step that helps retain the flavor and prevents the powder from clumping.
- I typically recommend making small quantity of the powder if your grinder is small. However, if you are making a lot of it, grind the spices in batches. However, ensure that the proportion of spices in each batch is perfect to achieve a consistent blend.
- You may personalize your sambar masala powder by tweaking the amount and type of spices according to your taste preference.
