Sambar Masala Indian Spice Mix

By
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Food writer Petrina Verma Sarkar is a native of India with extensive knowledge of the country's regional cuisines.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/22/22
Dosa with Sambar
Ideowl/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 22 mins
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
904 Calories
37g Fat
141g Carbs
43g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 904
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 48%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 394mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 141g 51%
Dietary Fiber 61g 218%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 43g
Vitamin C 36mg 179%
Calcium 892mg 69%
Iron 62mg 344%
Potassium 3241mg 69%
*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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Indian cuisine includes a wide variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to India. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic group, and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions. There has also been Middle Eastern and Central Asian influence on North Indian cuisine. Indian cuisine has been and is still evolving, as a result of the nation's cultural interactions with other societies.

Masala refers to any of a number of spice mixtures ground into a paste or powder for use in Indian cooking.

In South India, sambar is eaten with plain boiled rice (staple food of Indian cuisine), idlis, vadas, and dosas, amongst other things. The main ingredient in sambar is sambar masala.

Sambar masala uses cumin and coriander, two of the most important and frequently used spices and flavorings in Indian cuisine. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coriander seeds

  • 1/4 cup cumin seeds

  • 1/4 cup large split yellow lentils (chana daal)

  • 1/4 cup black gram (urad daal)

  • 1/4 cup fenugreek seeds

  • 1/4 cup whole black peppercorns

  • 1/4 cup dry red chile flakes

  • 1/4 cup dessicated coconut

  • 1/4 cup mustard seeds

  • 20 dried curry leaves

  • 2 tablespoons tumeric powder

  • 2 teaspoons asafetida powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Roast all the ingredients—except the asafetida—on a hot griddle until they begin to release their aroma.

  3. Cool on a tray.

  4. Add the asafetida and grind into a fine powder.

  5. Store in an airtight container and enjoy.

Recipe Tags: