Sambar Powder – Homemade Sambar Powder

sambar-powder-sambar-masala

When we were young, all the masala powders – sambar powders would be ground in a grinding mill. The heavy stainless steel boxes would be filled with freshly ground hot masala from the mill. The milling process generated a lot of heat. After reaching home, the masala powder would be carefully spread on a newspaper to cool and dry. The whole house would smell spicy and people would sneeze here and there as the smell was so strong. Fast forward to today, the size of the families have shrunk and the mills are slowly vanishing from the cities. Even though there are very good ready made sambar powder packets available in the market, the whole ritual of roasting and grinding spices gives a “high” that I love so much. I make it once a month and store it in an air tight container. I get many requests asking me to suggest a ready made brand of sambar powder. I am from Tamilnadu and I like tamil style sambar powders.
I like the brands Aachi and Sakthi Sambar Powder.

Here is how to do sambar powder from scratch. Ingredients like Poppy seeds and fennel seeds are not traditional. They add it at my place as its aromatic. So its up to you to use fennel and poppy seeds. The flavour wont be over powering as we are adding very little.

Note: We call this as all purpose kuzhambu milagai thool. You can use it for curries as well as for sambar. If you will use this powder only for making sambar, Please omit the fennel seeds and poppy seeds.

The recipe is fairly simple. We will need to roast all the ingredients and then grind them. The key is to roast all the ingredients in a low flame. The spices would burn fast if roasted on a high flame. The masala would taste bitter if burnt spices are used. So have patience, play some music and enjoy roasting the masalas.

sambar-powder-sambar-tamil

First lets roast the dry red chillies. All the ingredients for this recipe are dry roasted except dried red chillies. I add a scant 1/4 teaspoon of oil and roast the chillies in oil. The oil helps the chillies to roast better. Do not add too much oil. Take a heavy pan and add in the oil and the chillies. Keep sauteing. When the chillies plump up, they are done. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

sambar-powder-sambar-masala-recipe-chilli

Dry roast the coriander seeds until fragrant and the color of the seeds are slowly starting to brown here and there. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool.

sambar-powder-sambar-masala-recipe-coriander

Add in all the other roasting ingredients and dry roast on a low flame. Keep sauteing until the toor dal has changed color and is brown. Set aside on a plate to cool.

sambar-powder-sambar-masala-recipe-spices

Let the mixture cool completely. Take a mixie jar / spice grinder and grind the roasted ingredients. When the ingredients are half ground, add in the turmeric powder and asafoetida. Grind to a fine powder.

sambar-powder-sambar-masala-recipe-grind

Sift the ground masala to remove any lumps that must have formed during grinding and to aerate the powder. Let it cool and dry for an hour. Bottle the powder and store it in an air tight container and use it within 45 days.

sambar-powder-sambar-masala-recipe-sift

Here are some of the recipes where you can use this sambar powder.
CHINNA VENGAYAM SAMBAR – TAMILNADU ONION SAMBAR
MANJAL POOSANIKAI SAMBAR / PUMPKIN AND LENTIL SAMBAR
PASI PARUPPU SAMBAR / MOONG DAL SAMBAR

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sambar-powder-sambar-masala-recipe

Sambar Powder – Homemade Sambar Powder -Tamil Style Sambar Powder Recipe

South Indian Sambar Powder Recipe – Homemade Sambar Powder -Tamil Style Sambar Powder preparation Recipe with tamil style ingredients.

  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 1.5 Cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • Measurements Used – 1 Cup = 250 ml (approx) 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 15 ml

Roasting Ingredients

  • 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 20 Dry Red Chillies
  • 1/2 Cup Coriander Seeds
  • 2 Tablespoon Black Pepper
  • 2 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds (optional)
  • 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
  • 1/4 Cup Toor Dal
  • 2 Tablespoon Rice
  • 2 Teaspoon White Poppy Seeds (Optional)
  • 3 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds

Other Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 2 teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)

Instructions

  1. Take a heavy pan and add in the oil and the chillies. Keep sauteing. When the chillies plump up, they are done. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
  2. Dry roast the coriander seeds until fragrant and the color of the seeds are slowly starting to brown here and there. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool.
  3. Add in all the other roasting ingredients and dry roast on a low flame. Keep sauteing until the toor dal has changed color and is brown. Set aside on a plate to cool.
  4. Let the mixture cool completely. Take a mixie jar / spice grinder and grind the roasted ingredients. When the ingredients are half ground, add in the turmeric powder and asafoetida. Grind to a fine powder.
  5. Sift the ground masala to remove any lumps that must have formed during grinding and to aerate the powder. Let it cool and dry for an hour. Bottle the powder and store it in an air tight container and use it within 45 days.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Masala Powder
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu

57 thoughts on “Sambar Powder – Homemade Sambar Powder”

  1. Your sambar powder recipe is always a hit in my house…My sambar turns out very yummy only beacause of your sambar powder recipe.. Thank you so much..






  2. This was one of the best finds and thank you. This just tastes exactly like my mom-made.






  3. It was really helpfull and informative. Honestly, I was able to prepare without much complexity. Thanks for this wonderful instructions.






  4. Pamela Chengappa

    Thank you Suguna!! Loved this recipe for sambar…just made a batch…infact I love all the recipes…thanks for sharing!






  5. Thanks for this reciepe. I m gujarati and love south Indian food. Always used store packet sambhar masala. I made the masala last week and today infused it to make sambhar……I loved it cant Express how much difference it makes in taste when we grind masala at home. Thanks once again

      1. You have filed everything so neatly! Every info we need is a click away. Good job! 🙂

        Thanks
        Raji

  6. Hi.. Can u please tell in spoon measurements for toor dhal and coriander seeds. I’m unable to predict the quantity.

  7. I made it and it added excellent authentic taste to Sambhar. Thanks for sharing this receipe






  8. Hi Kannamma,
    You have mentioned that the fennel and poppy seeds are optional.
    But given a choice, which one would you add to the Kuzhambu thanks

    1. Made sambar powder using this recipe. It is awesome!!! Thanks a lot for sharing 🙂

  9. Hi
    very happy to see the sambar recipe .It is as exactly how my Mom used to prepare, at thath time i didnt take interest to know the measures of the ingredients.Since ours is large family we have to prepare and store it for months. I request you to give me measures for 2 1/2 kg chili like how much quantity i have take other ingredients since now my Mom is no more. Kindly oblige
    with regards






  10. Soniya khanna

    This recipe is good… But kindly edit the 3rd point like this “Add in all the other roasting ingredients except turmeric powder and asafoetida…. ”
    People may roast turmeric powder and asafoetida too and spoil the recipe.






  11. Thanks for your recepie..I would like to do this recepie for 1kg ..So can u pls tell me the measurements?






  12. Hi
    Many thanks for sharing Sambar podwer recipe, i going to try it out, i have seen in some recipes, some are using Channa Dal instead of thoor Dal, some are using both channa Dal & Thoor Dal.

    Also the measurements mentioned are for(Serves 1.5 cups), i am confused, the total quantity is for only one time use, or the quantity can be used for 30 days.
    For making sambar for approx 5 persons it is safe to use 3 TBspoons of sambar powder???

  13. Dr swadesh Garg

    it looks perfect blend of spices soon ill make sambar power according to u..thanks dear. God bless u






  14. Sambhar tasted delicious with this sambhar podi recipe!Thank you so much!Love ur recipes Kannamma!Keep it coming!






  15. Srividya Pujari

    Loved your sambhar powder recipe… It came out perfectly as my family would have loved… I am going to try more of your recipes for sure…. Thank you for penning it down with so much details… God bless you

  16. Priscilla Chettiar

    Hi.. Suguna

    I recently came across your blog..
    I was struggling to get perfect idli batter… That’s when I found your blog..
    Now I make idli batter without fear n perfect idli..
    My in laws are from Coimbatore..
    I Tried your vendakkai puli khulumbu…
    They were impressed with the aroma n perfection of the recipe..
    I also made my own tamarind paste n sambar powder for the first time..
    A big thank you for being so patient to pen down everything so beautifully n detailed..
    God bless you n your family always






  17. Hi
    Your sambar powder is very similar to my mother’s ingredients. I need to carry it to UK, can you please share the quantity required for 1 kg sambar powerder






  18. Hi Suguna,

    Is it mandatory to add turmeric powder for this recipe? We always add turmeric powder seperately be it dal or curry or stir fry. Will the recipe be any different if I don’t use turmeric powder?

  19. Loved your sambhar masala powder, was so easy to prepare and as good as the market one. Thanks a lot!

  20. Thanking you for sharing very helpful…My Kid likes my food very much all credit goes for you….Thank you






  21. Thanking you sharing very helpful…My Kid likes my food very much all credit go for you….Thank you






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