Sambar Powder: What It Is and How to Use It
The roasted spice blend behind a thick, tangy Karnataka-style sambar — and how much to add for the perfect pot.
What it is
Sambar powder is a roasted blend of lentils, seeds and dried chillies that gives sambar its body, colour and aroma. In Karnataka homes it is usually slightly sweeter and more aromatic than Tamil-style blends, and it is often paired with a little jaggery in the pot.
What usually goes into it
- Coriander seeds and cumin
- Dried red chillies
- Chana dal and urad dal, roasted
- Fenugreek (methi) seeds and black pepper
- Curry leaves, hing and turmeric
Blends vary from kitchen to kitchen — check the ingredient list printed on your Khushilo pack for the exact recipe.
How to use it
- Cook toor dal until soft and mash it well
- Simmer vegetables in tamarind water, then add the dal
- Stir in sambar powder and simmer 5 minutes so the raw taste cooks out
- Finish with a mustard, curry leaf and hing tadka
How much to use
- 2–3 teaspoons for 4 servings
- Add a pinch more at the end if you like it spicier — but simmer for 2 minutes afterwards
Goes well with
Turmeric Powder · Red Chilli Powder · Rasam Powder
Storing it
Keep the pack closed in a cool, dry cupboard away from the stove and sunlight. Always use a dry spoon, and move the powder to an airtight jar once opened if you cook with it less than once a week.
Shop the spices
For a thick, aromatic Karnataka-style sambar
Roasted, tangy, mildly spicy
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