A fool-proof Iyer-style sambhar powder/podi/masala recipe using basic ingredients. It's easily prepared by grinding roasted lentils and spices. Make it in bulk and store it for months!
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Homemade spice mixes
Every house uses some traditional mix of spice powders. We all cannot do without them as they help us make our cooking easier and better.
We either make them at home or get them from the store. Whatever the case, our food feels incomplete without these spice mixes. It also makes the food taste better!
The process to make spice mixes at home is very simple. It's primarily roasting the spices and then grinding them.
Traditionally all the ingredients were roasted directly under the sun for a day or two and then grounded. There was no need to roast them in a pan.
Then they were milled in a flour mill instead of grinding at home. That was also because it was made in bulk for large families. This was how my Pati (grandmom) made sambhar podi.
Some of my kitchen essentials without which I cannot function are Coriander Cumin Powder, Milk Masala, Turmeric Powder, Molagapodi, and Garam Masala.
Calling all sambhar lovers
If you are a South Indian then you would have surely been asked by your non-South Indian friends to make sambhar for them at some point in your life!
Making sambhar is truly an art and an experience. You need to carefully choose the ingredients that go into it, plan the steps and then go about making this dish.
Sambhar, a South Indian delicacy, is a thick lentil-based stew or chowder cooked in a tamarind broth along with some veggies.
It tastes best when served with rice
, idli, dosa, paniyaram, and/or wada. Sambar is popular in South Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil cuisines.
What is sambhar powder
Sambhar podi (which means powder in Tamil) is a crucial ingredient that helps enhance the flavor of sambhar. It's made by roasting and grinding lentils and spices.
We never get it from the store but always make it at home. There are of course many variations of sambhar powder as each family has its own way of making it.
For example, we don't add asafoetida and curry leaves to the powder. We add it when making the sambhar. Similarly, some add mustard seeds, urad dal, and coconut to this mix.
The recipe that I follow has been in our family for generations. Every next generation has learned it from the previous and we all have tried to retain the original recipe.
After mom, it has been my aunt (mom's sister) who freshly prepares sambhar masala in bulk for us. She always sends over some whenever someone is traveling to the US.
I feel so good today for featuring a handed-down family recipe on the blog. It's my way of preserving this Iyer-style sambhar powder recipe in this virtual world forever for generations to come.
BTW, the traditional sambhar podi and Madras curry powder that you get here in the US are not the same. Curry powder used Cayenne pepper.
Why make it
- An authentic Iyer-style sambhar powder recipe
- It is naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Homemade is better and cheaper than store-bought
- Contains no preservatives or artificial color
- Sambhar tastes flavorful and authentic
- Can be made using a few basic ingredients
- The only steps are roasting and grinding
- No salt or oil is needed
- Make it in 20 minutes
- You can make it in bulk and store it for 6 months
Ingredients needed 🧾
Lentils - Organic Tur dal/toor dal, and chana dal are the two kinds of lentils needed to make this Iyer-style sambhar powder. Get it from any Indian store or Amazon.
Spices - Dried red chillies (Kashmiri or Bydagi variety), peppercorns, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds along with turmeric powder are what you will need.
They give this spice mix color, aroma, and flavor. Turmeric also works as a preservative to make this sambhar podi/masala last long.
Equipment - A nonstick pan for roasting these spices and a high powder blender to grind them finely.
How to make it 🔪
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- Dry roast tur dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and methi seeds till they turn slightly brown and release an aroma. It could take 5-6 minutes. Keep flame on low - medium.
- Transfer to a plate and let it cool down completely.
- Then transfer all the ingredients to a blender jar. Grind to a powder in batches if needed.
- Remove it into a large mixing bowl.
- In the same pan, add and roast the dried red chillies till they turn a bit dark in color. This could take 4-5 minutes. Keep flame on low to medium.
- Transfer to a plate and let it cool down completely.
- Then transfer the chillies to a blender jar. Grind to make a powder.
- Transfer to the same bowl.
- Add turmeric powder.
- Then mix it all together. Sifting is optional. I never do it. But if you feel it's a little coarse, then grind it again or sift it.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Transfer to a clean airtight container and use this masala in any recipe that calls for sambhar powder.
This Iyer-style Sambhar powder can be used to make the traditional Sambhar, kootu, or curry. You can also use it in recipes that call for curry powder. It's very versatile.
Since this spice mix also has pepper, you can use it to make rasam as well. However, there is also a separate powder that we use for making rasam. I will share that recipe soon.
Adding this sambhar masala/podi to any of these dishes will elevate the taste and make the dish more palatable.
Top recipe tips 💭
Ensure all the ingredients are clean and dry before roasting. There is no need to rinse the lentils. Just check for stones in them before adding.
Coriander seeds give it volume along with flavor. You can also add 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds and/or garlic powder to this mix if you like that flavor in your sambhar.
If you live in a place that's hot and sunny, you can also roast these ingredients directly under the sun for a day or two. Place them on a tray uncovered. Then grind them fine.
This measurement yields 4 cups of sambhar powder. You will just need 1-2 tablespoons of it depending on what you making.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Roasting spices first makes the grounding process easy and also helps bring out the aroma of these spices.
Roast the ingredients on low to medium flame. Be careful to not burn them. Keep stirring them regularly to ensure even roasting. Grind only when they have cooled down completely.
Not fresh but dried red chillies of Kashmiri or Bydagi variety can be used here. While roasting, add a teaspoon of oil. The heat will not hit your nose.
If you don't find these, use the Indian chilly powder (spicy or mild) and mix it along with turmeric.
Grind the red chillies separately otherwise they will not be evenly ground. Lentils take more time to grind compared to red chillies.
If you want a deeper color, add more red chillies. But if you don't want to make it spicier, add more turmeric powder or Kashmiri chilly powder.
Instead of the stovetop, you can very well roast these spices and lentils in the oven. In a cookie tray, spread out tur dal, chana dal, and fenugreek seeds.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roast these ingredients for 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and then add the remaining ingredients and let it sit inside for another 10 minutes.
If you want, remove the roasted lentils before adding the other ingredients. Also, ensure that you have spread them all in a single layer. Increase time if needed.
Use a high-speed mixer grinder. Ensure the grinder jar is clean and dry before using. Do not overload the grinder.
Grind the ingredients in batches till you get a fine powder. Don't forget to scrape the sides as you blend to ensure uniformity.
Take breaks in between to avoid overheating. Also, do not continue to grind if the jar gets hot as it could spoil your grinder.
Store sambhar masala in an airtight container. Ensure the container you use is clean and dry. Else the powder will go bad very soon.
Most of these spice mixes are best used before 8-9 months. They will eventually lose out on the flavor and aroma. This spice powder will last you 6 months easily.
Depending upon the weather at your place of stay, you can either store it on your kitchen shelf or pantry. If needed, just store that container in the fridge.
Do not use a wet spoon or touch it with wet hands to have a longer shelf life. If you have to, then vacuum pack and store the sambar powder in the freezer.
Recipes using sambhar powder
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Recipe 📖
Sambhar Powder Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Tur dal
- ¼ cup chana dal
- 2 cups coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoon peppercorns
- 100 gms dried red chillies
- 3 teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Dry roast tur dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and methi seeds till they turn slightly brown and release an aroma. It could take 5-6 minutes. Keep flame on low - medium.
- Transfer to a plate and let it cool down completely.
- Then transfer all the ingredients to a blender jar. Grind to a powder in batches if needed.
- Remove it into a large mixing bowl.
- In the same pan, add and roast the dried red chillies till they turn a bit dark in color. This could take 4-5 minutes. Keep flame on low to medium.
- Transfer to a plate and let it cool down completely.
- Then transfer the chillies to a blender jar. Grind to make a powder.
- Transfer to the same bowl.
- Add turmeric powder.
- Then mix it all together. Sifting is optional. I never do it. But if you feel it's a little coarse, then grind it again or sift it.
- Transfer to a clean airtight container and use this masala in any recipe that calls for sambhar powder.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Rohit says
A regular recipe in our kitchen.
Priya says
Thank you.
Dee says
I live in the U.S. and did buy a Preethi Eco Plus online. It did have the 1.5 Liter container which I do not need as I use a Vitamix and Cuisinart for mixing-grinding. I have used several other mixers which weren’t that great and have tossed them. The Preethi Eco Plus leaked and the lids would not tighten. I returned it.
I watch many Indian cooks on YouTube and always admire the mixer grinder that is Stainless steel and has a small footprint.
Can you suggest any mixer grinder that would work for me. It would have to be able to grind into a paste of: fresh ginger, green chilis and garlic.
Many thanks.
Dee
Priya says
Hi Dee, I like https://amzn.to/3CvA5dk Its really good. Its a little expensive but you can use it for everything. Hope this helps.
Dorothy Heldt says
Follow all yr. recipes Priya. Enjoy the authenticity/simplicity. So happy to see the recipes for homemade powders. So much better than store bought. How long could I store them? Also what veggies are best for the sambar? Thank you Dorothy Heldt
Priya says
Hi Dorothy, thank you so much for loving these recipes. Yes, I to prefer them homemade. Shelf life of spice powders are different. I would suggest make in small batches and use as you need. You can store them in an airtight container and in the fridge if you want. For sambhar, check out my sambhar recipe where I have shared what veggies to use. Hope this helps. 🙂
Sangeeta says
Which cup u used?,200ml or 250ml.
Priya says
The cup size doesn't matter. It is the ratio that is important. Use the same cup for measuring all the ingredients. But I used 250ml cup, if that helps.