sambar powder

Sambar Powder Recipe (Sambar Masala)

By Swasthi on March 6, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Sambar Powder Recipe – Flavorful & aromatic sambar masala powder. Sambar is one of the most delicious South Indian foods often served as a side with rice and vegetable stir fry. There are different kinds made like Idli Sambar, Udupi sambar etc. This masala powder is the main ingredient that adds aroma and taste to the dish.

sambar powder

About Sambar Powder

There are plenty of sambar powder recipes across South India prepared with varying ingredients. Most of these are made with coriander seeds, cumin and lentils as the base. Ingredients like coconut, cinnamon and even stone flower are used in some regions.

For years I had been bringing sambar masala from my mum’s home. For the past one year I have been making my own since I don’t travel frequently.

Most times I make the it fresh just enough for one time preparation. I have shared it on my Sambar recipe and Idli sambar posts.

Making this spice powder at home is easy and can be prepared just under 15 minutes. It is very flavorful and hygienic to make it at home.

This keeps good for about 6 months in the fridge. At room temperature it will keep good for 3 months.

This recipe yields about 1 cup of sambar masala powder. This is good enough to prepare 24 to 30 servings of vegetable sambar. We do not use pepper in this powder. If you prefer you can use it.

This spice powder can also be used to make rasam just add some pepper powder towards the end of making rasam.

sambar powder recipe made with lentils, spices and herbs

More homemade spice powders
Idli Podi
Rasam Powder
Garam Masala
Biryani Masala Powder
Pav Bhaji Masala

How to Make Sambar Powder (Stepwise photos)

Roast Lentils and Spices

1. Heat a pan. If making sambar powder in large quantity then dry roast each ingredient separately as the cooking time is different. Since this recipe is to make little sambar powder I have roasted them together but in batches.

Pour 1 ½ tablespoon chana dal, 1 ½ tablespoon urad dal, 1 tablespoon toor dal and 8 to 12 dried red chilies. You can also use more red chilies than mentioned in the recipe. But with the amount I mentioned it was too hot for my kids. So if you have kids do adjust. Dry roast them on a low flame until the dal is golden in color & begin to turn aromatic.

dry roasting lentils chilies to make sambar powder

2. Add ¼ cup coriander seeds and ¾ teaspoon methi seeds. Roast until coriander seeds turn crunchy and the methi seeds are deep roasted & aromatic.

dry roasting coriander seeds to make sambar powder

3. When you smell the roasted methi seeds, add 2 sprigs curry leaves and roast until they turn crisp. By now the methi seeds will turn slightly darker in color.

roasting curry leaves

4. Add 2 teaspoon cumin seeds and roast till crunchy. You will smell the cumin good very soon. Turn off the stove. If you prefer to use pepper corn, you can add 1 teaspoon black pepper corn along with cumin. We use pepper only for rasam powder.

roasting cumin

5. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon hing to this. Turmeric is used here as a preservative to keep the sambar masala good. Transfer all these to a wide plate and cool completely.

Adding turmeric to make sambar powder

Grind Sambar Powder

6. Add them to a mixer/grinder jar. You can also get these milled in a flour mill if you are making in large quantity.

adding roasted ingredients

7. Make a fine powder.

blend them to a fine sambar powder

Store sambar powder in a air tight glass jar for freshness. You can also use steel jar.

sambar powder recipe

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

sambar powder

Sambar Powder Recipe (Sambar Masala)

A spice powder used to make sambar, a South Indian lentil soup. This recipe gives you one of the most flavorful one.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings1 cup
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 1 ½ tablespoons bengal gram (chana dal or senaga pappu)
  • 1 ½ tablespoon black gram (skinned urad dal or minapappu)
  • 1 tablespoon toor dal (pigeon peas split or kandi pappu)
  • 8 to 12 red chilies (adjust to taste)
  • ¼ cup coriander seeds (or daniya) 4 tbsps of 22 to 25 grams
  • ¾ teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek seeds or menthulu)
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves (kadi patta or kervepaku) (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon cumin (or jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper corn (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric (haldi powder)


Instructions

Preparation

  • Clean lentils, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
  • Heat a pan and regulate the flame to low.
  • The entire roasting should happen on a low flame which brings out the aroma from each ingredient. 
  • Dry roast chana dal, urad dal, toor dal and red chilies until golden. If you are making this in large quantity then roast each ingredient separately until deep golden.
  • Add coriander seeds and methi seeds.
  • Roast till the coriander turns crunchy and lightly roasted. By then methi seeds also turn slightly dark & aromatic. 
  • When you begin to smell the methi seeds nice, add curry leaves and roast until they turn crisp.
  • Then add cumin and pepper (optional). Roast until it turns crunchy. Turn off the stove.
  • At the end of this step, you should have deep roasted dal, methi, coriander seeds, crisp red chilies & curry leaves.
  • Add turmeric and hing. Transfer to a wide plate and cool completely.

How to make Sambar Powder

  • Add these to a blender/grinder jar. 
  • Make a fine powder. Cool completely and store in a airtight glass or steel jar.
  • Use sambar powder as needed. It keeps good at room temperature for 3 months. 


Notes

To match the color of the store bought sambar powder just double the amount of red chilies & skip curry leaves. But I use less chilies than mentioned in the recipe card since I have young kids at home.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Sambar Powder Recipe (Sambar Masala)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 488 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Sodium 68mg3%
Potassium 2408mg69%
Carbohydrates 94g31%
Fiber 32g133%
Sugar 29g32%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 5345IU107%
Vitamin C 861.1mg1044%
Calcium 314mg31%
Iron 17mg94%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Sambar Powder Recipe (Sambar Masala)

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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Comments

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5 stars
Hi Swasthi…
Your Samber Powder is quite unique and easy too…. Great job.. Just wanted to know the shelf life if we make them in bigger quantities like 1kg…

And how to store them for better shelf life..

Can it be kept in Fridge for longer shelf life… If yes, how long in Fridge and how long if kept in room temperature especially Chennai temperature…

5 stars
great work. fantastic receipies

5 stars
Thanks for sharing and love u

5 stars
I learned how to make sambhar masala instead of buying it readymade from the store

5 stars
This recipe turned out really well. My husband and I both loved it.

5 stars
Kindly make videos in YouTube for more easy to view..All your recipes are yummy and authentic.Thanks.

5 stars
Hin..i want to know one thing.in sbar powder u have not addeed grated dry coconut so will it taste like south indian style..as in general we dont add coconut seperately in sambar making

5 stars
Hello Swasthi, I want to thank you for your very very amazing and wonderful site. Your recipes are great and I have made many of them. The pictures are great too. Earlier I used to carry sambar powder and garam masala from home in India but now I stopped because I can make them easily with your recipes. Today I made a small batch of sambar powder and your sambar as well. It turned out so good. My Indian neighbour knocks the door to know what sambar powder I’m using. I showed her your blog.

5 stars
Thanks

5 stars
Thanks for detailed and simple recipe

5 stars
I followed the exact recipe. My sambar smells awesome with this powder. Next time I will double the red chilies. Thank you.

I made this exactly as written and did not like it at all. It is the first time I did not like one of your recipes. I must have done something wrong. Do fenugreek seeds become bitter if roasted too long? Could it have been the curry leaves? I could only find dried. It had a bitter aftertaste that lingered. I want to try again but I’m not sure where I went wrong.

5 stars
Thank you for your reply; I did use the power in your sambar recipe and that’s what I meant when I said I didn’t like it. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I will just try it again. I love everything you post and want this one to work very badly.

Where are the measurements?

Hello Swasthi, i need a clarification. Your Sambar Masala Powder states TOOR dal. However in the Sambar Recipe – where you have given how to make Sambar Masala Powder – NO Toor Dal is mentioned. Do we have to add the Toor Dal to make the Sambar Masala Powder. Thank you.

Thank you very much Swasthi….i follow most of your recipes, recently modak and they are absolutely fantastic. Best part is they are in tablespoon measure which is easy to follow. Even my 75 year old mother loves your recipes and each time we talk ( I live out of India) she says check Swasthi’s recipes …as though you are her bestie….but yes we love your recipes and thank you for your trouble and efforts. Going to print off the recipe for Sambhar Masala Powder WITH the toor dal. I have to make and store it since i am a working lady.

5 stars
It took me a very long time to make this, sambar powder included per your instructions. Good things come to those who wait, right? 🙂
Finally done and it is quite tasty. Going to eat it with Idly. Thank you very much.

5 stars
Excellent!!! Home sambar pakka! Too much nostalgia making this. Would you consider this as Iyer Sambar podi?

5 stars
Thank you Swasthi
I made a batch of this and the aroma is so good. Like the way my Mom and sis makes it.

5 stars
Hello, the recipe was perfect. Powder cane out very well with the right amount of punch. Using it in all recipes like sambar, spinach pulusu, charu (radian). Thanks very much.

5 stars
Hello ma’am,
I just had a small doubt, do we first was dals? I want to try this receipe. Kindly let me know.
Regards
Deepti

I love all your recipies the simplest way you present with authentic taste.
Good job mam

Very excited to make this recipe! I’m an Anglo that LOVES Indian food and lives in New Mexico. What is the name of the type of chili you would use so I can find a substitute?

5 stars
Good Style and Lovely

Hi Joan, see if you can find an Indian/Pakistani or Sri Lankan store near you (or online). You can get Kashmiri or South Indian (bydagi) dried chilles The Mexican chillies will give a very different flavour and hence not recommended. Kashmiri chillies are not too spicy but you can experiment based on your tolerance levels.