This homemade Kerala Sambar powder recipe is a vegan spice blend prepared with fresh curry leaves, spices and lentils that turns sambar super yummy and flavourful. The recipe is so easy and quick that you won't go for store-bought as you can make it easily at home in no time.
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About the recipe
Sambar is super popular in India and is the traditional dish of South India that everyone loves and enjoys. It is a vegetarian dish made with yellow lentils, spices & vegetables using sambar powder and is usually served with rice, idli and dosa. Sambar powder plays a vital role in making this dish as all the flavour and aroma in the sambar comes from this spice blend only. The more aromatic and fragrant the sambar masala is, the more delicious the sambar will be.
This vegan Kerala sambar powder is a spice blend prepared using lentils, dried spices and fresh curry leaves. The recipe calls for roasting the spices and lentils on low heat to dry out any moisture if present before grinding. A perfect must-have spice blend that turns sambar super tasty with flavourful spices.
This Kerala sambar powder masala recipe is inspired by my chai masala and raita masala on this site.
Reasons to 💖Kerala sambar powder recipe
- The foremost reason is always freshness without any preservatives.
- You have control over the ingredients. You can easily avoid the ones you dislike.
- An easy peasy recipe that won't take much time.
- Storage is not a problem as it stays fresh for a long time.
- You can save a few dollars reutilizing the same spices you have already in your spice box!!
Ingredients
To make sambar masala powder Kerala style, you need the following ingredients:
- White lentils/dehusked black gram (Urad dal)- I use whole white lentils for this recipe. Feel free to use either whole or split ones, whatever is handy to you.
- Bengal gram lentils/split chickpeas (chana dal)- thickens the sambar curry.
- Coriander seeds (dhania)- impart aroma and flavour.
- Dry chillies (sukhi mirch) -add spicy quotient. Use as much spicy as you want.
- Cumin seeds (jeera)- impart aroma and also promotes digestion.
- Curry leaves (karee patta) - add aroma. Use fresh for the best results. (if available)
- Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)- help digestion. Make sure to add a small amount of these seeds as they might impart a bitter taste to the sambar.
- Asafoetida powder (hing)- is good for digestive health.
- Oil- (optional) it helps in combining spices well.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make sambar powder Kerala style
For the full recipe, check out the video below. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to stay up to date on all my new videos!!
Let's get started on how to make Kerala sambar powder at home:
Pour oil, white lentils, Bengal gram lentils and coriander seeds into a skillet and roast for 2 minutes on low heat. Combine the rest of the ingredients and continue roasting on low heat for 2 minutes or until you get golden brown.
Cool down and grind into a fine powder. Store it in an airtight container. Use as and when required.
Storage
- Store this sambar podi Kerla style in an airtight container.
- Make sure to cool down this spice blend before storing it.
- This sambar masala powder stays fresh for at least 3-4 months at room temperature or up to 6 months if stored in a refrigerator.
How to use this sambar powder?
- A tablespoon of this sambar masala powder is enough to uplift the flavour of any regular sambar.
- Add this sambar masala to rasam to take it to the next level.
- Give a different and unique taste to stir-fried vegetables and grilled chicken using this spice blend.
Variations
- Black peppercorns- to imbue heat into the dish.
- Pigeon pea - for extra thickness in the curry.
- Mustard seeds - for additional spice flavour.
- Turmeric powder - to give a vibrant yellow colour.
- Coconut - add desiccated coconut for a rich, creamy consistency.
Equipment
I use a Nutribullet blender (affiliate link) to blend almost all spices like masala paste, chai masala and raita masala powder. Also, I use this same blender to prepare smoothies, Lassi and chutney like red chutney and green chutney too. It is too easy and convenient to use. All-in-one equipment that is worth trying!!
Tips n suggestions
- Make sure to dry all the spices before use to prevent storage problems later on.
- Add turmeric powder if you like masala to be yellowish. I prefer all-natural spices reddish-brown colour, so I avoided turmeric in this recipe.
- Do not roast spices on high heat as it may burn spices and turn them bitter.
- Cool down spices before and after grinding; otherwise, moisture may arise. It can spoil the masala later on.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon when using it.
- Store in an airtight jar. It stays fresh for at least 3-4 months at room temperature.
And if you make this Kerala sambar powder aka Kerala sambar podi recipe, please let me know what you think!
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Recipe
Kerala Sambar Powder Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ½ cup White lentils (110g)
- ¼ cup Bengal gram lentils (50g)
- ¼ cup Coriander seeds (15g)
- 1 tablespoon Fenugreek seeds (4g)
- 2 tablespoon Cumin seeds (13g)
- 2 tablespoon Asafoetida (14g)
- few Curry leaves
- 8-10 Dry red chillies
Instructions
- Roast lentils and coriander seeds using a small amount of oil on low heat for 2 minutes.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients and roast for 2-3 minutes or until the colour turns golden.
- Cool down and blend into a powder
- Store in an air-tight jar.
- Use it when required.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to dry all the spices before use to prevent storage problems later on.
- Add turmeric powder if you like masala to be yellowish. I prefer all-natural spices reddish-brown colour, so I avoided turmeric in this recipe.
- Do not roast spices on high heat as it may burn spices and turn them bitter.
- Cool down spices before and after grinding; otherwise, moisture may arise. It can spoil the masala later on.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon when using it.
- Store in an airtight jar. It stays fresh for at least 3-4 months at room temperature.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: tablespoon | |
| Servings: 50 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 12 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0.5g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 1mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 1.6g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.6g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 0.2g | |
| Protein 0.6g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 7mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 2% |
| Potassium 31mg | 1% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Note: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to stay up to date on all my new videos!! You can also Subscribe to my mailing list for the latest updates. | |
Nancy
What a flavourful recipe. Thanks for the tips
Abhi
Thanks Nancy!!
Katie
Such an incredible spice mix!! I have been using this in everything recently!
Abhi
Thanks, Katie. Good to know that!!