Sambar powder, also known as sambar podi, is a flavourful blend of spices that are roasted and ground to a fine powder. This aromatic spice mix is the base for preparing sambar, a traditional South Indian lentil-based gravy cooked with vegetables. While the core ingredients remain similar, there are countless variations across different regions and families, each adding its own unique touch.
A Cherished Family Recipe
The recipe I am sharing is very close to my heart. It is my grandmother’s recipe, lovingly passed down to my mother when she got married. My paati (grandmom) had handwritten her treasured recipes in a notebook, which my amma still preserves. Among those recipes, this sambar podi holds a special place. I grew up enjoying the rich aroma and authentic taste of this spice blend, and every time I make it, it reminds me of the traditional flavors from my childhood.
Special Touch in This Recipe
For this recipe, all the ingredients are dry roasted to bring out their aroma, but I use about 1 teaspoon of oil only while roasting the red chilies. This little tip not only enhances the roasting process but also prevents sneezing caused by chili fumes.
I prefer using a mix of two types of chilies:
-
Guntur Chilies – for spiciness and heat.
-
Byadgi (Bedigi) Chilies – for their vibrant red color and mild flavor.
This combination gives the perfect balance of color and spice to the sambar powder.
Storage and Freshness
Once ground, the sambar powder can be stored in an airtight container for up to six months. However, for the best taste and freshness, it’s always ideal to prepare the powder in small batches and use it within a few weeks. Freshly made sambar podi elevates the flavor of the dish, making your sambar more aromatic and delicious.
Some more Podi recipes to try from my blog
Veppampoo podi / Neem flower powder
Karuvepillai podi/Curry leaves powder
Pin for Later
Sambar powder / Homemade Sambar podi
Equipment
- Mixie
Ingredients
- 1 cup Coriander seeds
- 1/3 cup Tur dal
- 1/3 cup Channa dal
- 1 tbsp Black peppercorn
- 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp Fenugreek
- 2 cups Bedigi Chilli
- 1 cup Guntur Chilli
- 1 tsp Oil - 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
Instructions
- First weigh all the ingredients and keep aside.
- Take a pan, add the coriander seeds and roast in medium flame until you get a nice aroma. Make sure the pan you use is devoid of moisture.
- Once you start getting aroma, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a plate.
- Then add the tur dal, saute until it turns light golden brown in colour. Then transfer it to a plate.
- Following it, add channa dal, roast until it is golden brown in colour. Transfer it to a plate.
- Add black peppercorn, roast it in low flame. While roasting it, slightly close it with a lid so that it will not splutter out.
- Then add the cumin seeds, roast until you get aroma. This will get roasted fast, so make sure you remove it at the right time.
- Now allow all the ingredients to cool down.
- Finally add the red chilli, a tsp of oil and slightly heat it. If you are not comfortable roasting red chilli, you can wear a mask so that you wont start sneezing. Also using a tsp of oil will will help.
- Now the ingredients are ready to grind.
- Once the ingredients are cooled down, add the red chilli into a mixie jar and grind it to a powder.
- Adding red chilli first will ensure that they are ground well.
- Then add the other ingredients, turmeric powder and grind everything to a fine powder.
- Sieve the ground powder to get a fine powder. And then grind the powder that remain on the sieve again.
Video
INSTRUCTIONS
- First weigh all the ingredients and keep aside.
- Take a pan, add the coriander seeds and roast in medium flame until you get a nice aroma. Make sure the pan you use is devoid of moisture.
- Once you start getting aroma, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a plate.
- Then add the tur dal, saute until it turns light golden brown in colour. Then transfer it to a plate.
- Following it, add channa dal, roast until it is golden brown in colour. Transfer it to a plate.
- Add black peppercorn, roast it in low flame. While roasting it, slightly close it with a lid so that it will not splutter out.
- Then add the cumin seeds, roast until you get aroma. This will get roasted fast, so make sure you remove it at the right time.
- Now allow all the ingredients to cool down.
- Finally add the red chilli, a tsp of oil and slightly heat it. If you are not comfortable roasting red chilli, you can wear a mask so that you wont start sneezing. Also using a tsp of oil will will help.
- Now the ingredients are ready to grind.
- Once the ingredients are cooled down, add the red chilli into a mixie jar and grind it to a powder.
- Adding red chilli first will ensure that they are ground well.
- Then add the other ingredients, turmeric powder and grind everything to a fine powder.
- Sieve the ground powder to get a fine powder. And then grind the powder that remain on the sieve again.
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Thank you !!
Looks beautiful & sounds flavourful! I like the idea of using 2 types of chillies for adding color & flavor to this spice powder.
Thank you Megala…
You are so fortunate Niranjana that you have your family’s recipes with you.. sambhar powder sound so flavourful and a keeper recipe.. saving it to try out soon.
Thank you so much Swathi…
Nothing can beat the freshness of homemade masala powders. Sambar masala sounds absolutely aromatic and I am sure it would add great flavors to the sambar.
Thank you Jolly.
A traditional podi recipe that is handed down generation to generation, that’s really amazing. Undoubtedly, homemade spice blends are always the best. I don’t get guntur chillis so can I replace it with normal dry red chillis that we get here?
Yes ji, you can use some spicy variety of chilli instead of guntur and Kashmiri chilli instead of Bedigi.
Sambar podi is a must-have condiment in every Indian kitchen. Your powder looks very smooth and has good color as well. I also make this at home but never knew about Guntur chili and bedigi chili. It must be very aromatic and spicy. Will try to find these chilies next time when I make sambar powder. Great recipe.
Thank you Malini. These chillies are popular in Karnataka. In Tamilnadu we can use Kashmiri chilli instead of bedigi.
Home made spices are always best. This sambhar powder looks so flavorful and smooth. I always use packet sambhar powder now I am saving it.
Thank you ji. Do try this recipe.
this is one of the spice powder which I never buy from market. Homemade are always best and nothing can beat the freshness of homemade masala. These are absolutely aromatic !!!
Home made sambar powder is so flavorful and fresh. Sambar with fresh masala is so aromatic. Recipes handed over from generations is always a keeper. Even i use two varieties of red chillies.
That’s nice to know Preethi. Thank you.