SUPER DUPER KITCHEN

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

Mangalore Rasam Podi

Garlic Paruppu podi

Vangibath powder

Bisi-bele-bath powder

Dosai milagai podi

Karuvepillai podi/Curry leaves powder

Rasam podi

Chutney powder

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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.