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.
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.
More homemade spice powders
Idli podi
Bisi bele bath masala powder
Garam masala powder
Simple garam masala powder
Biryani masala powder
Pav bhaji masala
Sambar powder recipe
Sambar powder (sambar masala)
Ingredients (1 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)
How to make the recipe
Preparation
- Clean dals, coriander seeds and cumin.
- 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.
- Saute 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 stir well until they turn crisp.
- Then add cumin and saute 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 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.
Video
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
If you are new to cooking, follow my detailed step by step photo instructions for best results.
Preparation
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 chana dal, urad dal, toor dal and red chilies. You can also use more red chilies than mentioned in the recipe card. 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 dals are golden in color & begin to turn aromatic.
2. Add coriander seeds and methi seeds. Saute until coriander seeds turn crunchy and the methi seeds are deep roasted.
3. When you smell the roasted methi seeds, add curry leaves and fry until they turn crisp. By now the methi seeds will turn slightly darker in color.
4. Add cumin 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 them along with cumin. We use pepper only for rasam powder.
5. Add turmeric and 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.
How to make sambar powder or sambar podi
6. Add them to a mixer jar. You can also get these milled in a flour mill if you are making in large quantity.
7. Make a fine powder.
Store sambar powder in a air tight glass jar for freshness. You can also use steel jar.
Trupti says
I used to buy readymade from the market. Tomorrow i m making idlis and realised i am running short of the powder, in this pandemic situation i avoid going out. Since all the required ingredients were available at home. I made the powder using your recipe and it turned out good. I comapred the color, smell and texture with the little portion of ready made one, and i tell you, homemade is awesome.
Mayuri says
Awesome !! I just realized that I have a jar of sambar powder in my fridge since 3-4 years.It still smells fresh.Will it be safe to eat?
swasthi says
3 to 4 years is a long time. I don’t think you should use it.
Ipshita Das says
I stay in Toronto Downtown where you don’t get this spice as widely available in India. You really want to go to an Indian stores to find one. During this pandemic it’s difficult to go get this. I better get started making this at home. This recipe looks a steal 👌
swasthi says
Hello Ipshita
Yes you should try it.
Shobhita says
Best Sambhar masala. I could never make good sambhar with store bought masala. This gives it the authentic taste.
swasthi says
Thanks Shobhita
Glad you liked it. Yes homemade makes a lot of difference.
🙂
Annie says
Thank you so much for all the delicious recipes Swasthi. Just tried sambar powder and sambar – it’s so tasty!
swasthi says
Hi Annie
You are welcome! Glad they turned out good.
Thank you
Priya says
Hi,
I tryed your sambhar powder receipe, it came out well…Taste and aroma is good..Can you update me same sambhar powder for large quantity (1kg)..
Thanks
Priya
swasthi says
Hi Priya,
Thank you. You can calculate based on the given recipe.
Jayabrindha Nageswaran says
Made sambar with this recipe and came out very well and tastes yummy. Everybody liked it.👌 Want to post the photo of the sambar.
swasthi says
Hi Jayabrindha,
You can share the picture on social media and tag #swasthisrecipes
Thanks for the review.
Swasthi
Alex says
Hello,
I love this recipe. I’ve been searching for a good one and the smell is almost identical to the one I loved as a child.
Can you tell me, what ratio of powder to liquid should be used when making the sambar? Thanks!
swasthi says
Hi Alex,
Thank you! Glad you liked it. You can add about 1 tbsp powder to 1.5 to 2 cups water.
Alex says
Thank you!
Lauren says
Excellent instructions
The idlis were soft and radiantly
White
Now on to Dosas
I am 67 and time to change
Diet and rhythms
Thank you
Oh we bought a pretheei
Mixer
Sambar powder next
swasthi says
Hello Lauren,
Wow! So glad your idlis turned out soft! Hope you enjoy the sambar too.
🙂
Madhuri Gujar says
Nice video. Easy language
swasthi says
Thanks Madhuri
Avinash B Katti says
Very nice recipes, we are using your recepies
swasthi says
Thank you
Reshma says
Made this and turned out superb. I used it for your samabr recipe
Gopal says
Swathi man, thanks. I made the Sambhar powder today, color is as in ur picture, slightly greenish.all other Sambhar powders are red to Brown in color. How do u correct the color.Please advice. Thanks. Gopal.
swasthi says
Hi Gopal,
You are welcome. Yes most readymade sambar powders are deep red to brown in color as they are loaded with red chilies. Since red chilies are cheaper than dal, to cut down the cost the commercial powders are made with more red chilies. Their chilli to dal ratio is almost double of what I used here.To get the same color, just skip curry leaves and use more red chilies.Also deep roasting the ingredients will help to get darker color. Hope this helps.
Neeti says
Hi Swasthi,
I was trying to prepare this sambar powder however , the ingredients you have shared is in tbs& tsp measuring form which is not resulting in 240 ml.
Can you share each ingredient in gms so that it comes out in right proportion & taste.
Thanks
Neeti
swasthi says
Hi Neeti
I am Sorry. I didn’t understand the problem. 240 ml cup is the measuring cup I use. 1/4 cup is 1/4 of 240 ml cup. I do not have the measurements in grams at this moment. I will update when I make it next time. But for the results you will get very accurately even if followed using tablespoons and teaspoons.
Neeti says
Thank you Awasthi, this may solve my problem.
Regards
Neeti
Riya says
She is Swasthi (not awasthi😑). Its obvious that 1ml = 1g. Hence, 240ml is 240gms. Also, fyi – 3 tsp = 1 tbsp = 14.3gms !! A tbsp is volume based measurement, while gms are mass unit. So it depends on the density of the material, you are filling the spoon/cup/jar with. Anyways, leave it on you, for desired further calculation. Good luck!
Tanusree says
Hi Swasthi, just going through the comments in the post, as sometimes these help in troubleshooting without bugging you.
My two cents on Neeti’s post on May 4.
I don’t think you need to convert ml to gm for every other recipe as 1 ml is equal to 1 gm while measuring water and 1 ml is equal to .852 gm ( nearly equal to 1gm) while measuring sugar, anyone can easily convert.
swasthi says
Hi Tanu,
You are right. I think I made sambar powder at least 3 to 4 times after I replied to Neeti but always forget to weigh them. Many readers especially beginners would prefer the exact weight of ingredients which I forget to do at the time of making it for the blog post. But sure what you said is a good conversion. Thanks dear!
Ramadevi Penmethsa says
Your recipes are superb
I did your Kandi podi It’s awesome taste
I did rasam Powder also
With that I did rasam with the powder it’s just awesome
Soooo tasty
Thankyou for your recepies mam🙏🙏🙏🙏
swasthi says
You are welcome Ramadevi
Thank you so much for trying the recipes. So glad to know you liked them.
🙂
Shaheen Shaikh says
Great recipes South Indians and their food are my favourites please share all whatever you know iwill be extremely grateful to you will wait anxiously.
May Almighty Allah bless you always. Aameen Summa aameen.
Sincerely yours
SHAHEEN Shaikh
swasthi says
Hi Shaheen
Thanks a ton for the wishes. Very happy for that! Yes sure I will keep sharing more recipes. Thanks again
🙂
Ashwini Harirajan says
Hi..
I live abroad and would like to make large quantities of this sambhar powder. To make 4 times of the quantity of sambhar powder, should i multiply the quantities of all the ingredients by 4. Thank you
swasthi says
Hi Ashwini
Yes you will have to multiply all of them by 4.
Aara says
Kindly say coriander seeds measurement in gram
swasthi says
Hi Aara
It is about 22 grams or 4 tbsps.
Aara says
Thank you mam, I am going to try
Rakhi Shah Thadani says
I made this masala..I feel the proportion of dhaniya is a tad too much cos after grinding the aroma is overpowering of dhaniya….I normally use everest sambar masala…n the fragrance is very different than this masala….is there a reason… Also what can I do to subdue the dhaniya..of the current masala…that I made……please suggest…!!
swasthi says
Hi Rakhi,
This is a traditional sambar powder recipe. The proportions mentioned are right and the aroma as you mentioned is also right. In store bought sambar powder they add more of red chilies and other ingredients which are usually cheap. Some brands also use mustard seeds and more of jeera. Just go ahead and make the sambar using this sambar recipe.
Rakhi Shah Thadani says
Thank you for the prompt reply… I m gonna make it tomorrow…. Shall update you….
Rakhi Shah Thadani says
Made the sambar….indeed very tasty…typical traditional taste as mentioned by you….thank you….!!
swasthi says
Welcome Rakhi
Firdouse says
Hi,
What’s 3/4 tp meethi seeds?
swasthi says
3/4 th tsp. Thanks . Will update it
supriya says
Hi looks good I’m going to try
swasthi says
Hi supriya
Glad to see you here after a long time. Yes do try it