Sambar Masala Powder: How to Make Hotel-Style Sambar Easily

Sambar, One of the most traditional and loved South Indian curries made with spiced lentils and vegetable stew. 

The secret ingredient? Sambar masala or sambar podi: A famous spice blend prepared by roasting and grinding lentils and whole spices. This masala is what gives sambar an aromatic flavour and colour. 

Sambar is a mix of toor dal, vegetables, tamarind, and aromatic spices. 

About Sambar 

Sambar is the most beloved dish of South India. It may be served with rice, dosa, vada or idlis. 

Sambar curry is believed to provide complete nutrition to the body. It's nutrient-rich and a popular food in tiffin centres and restaurants. Many hotels serve it as idli sambar, dosa sambar and sambar rice for breakfast and lunch. 

Made with lentils, this curry is also a primary source of protein for many Indians. It also includes all types of healthy vegetables. 

We personally recommend pairing sambar curry with short-grain rice. Just add some pappad on the side, and you’re good to go. People also like it with idlis. 

But isn’t it just a mixture of dals? Well, no. It's tangy, spicy and delicious, but there’s a key ingredient that makes it a unique stew, the sambar masala powder. The masala is a perfect blend of whole spices and lentils that makes the curry taste fresh, aromatic, and flavorful. 

Ready to cook? Here’s what you need to make a hotel-style sambar curry:

Ingredients 

This recipe takes around 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. It may serve upto 5 people. 

• Toor Dal: ½  cup
  
• Masoor Dal: ½ cup
  
• Turmeric powder: ¼ teaspoon
  
• Tamarind: 1 tablespoon 
  
• Oil: 2-4 teaspoons
  
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon 
  
• Sambar masala powder: 2 tablespoons
  
• Urad dal: 1 teaspoon
  
• Onion: 10-12 small 
  
• Curry leaves: 5
  
• Hing: ¼ teaspoon 
  
• Tomatoes: 3 medium-sized 
  
• Drumsticks: 1-2
  
• Carrot: 1 medium
  
• Green beans: 6 -7 
  
• Potato: 1 medium
  
• Okra: 4-5
  
• Small brinjals: 6-7
  
• Salt: as per taste

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Hotel-Style Sambar: Step-By-Step Recipe 

• In a bowl, take toor dal and masoor dal, and rinse well. Keep it aside in fresh water for half an hour
  
• Add them to a pressure cooker (you can also use an Instant Pot)
  
• Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric and 1.5 cups of water to cook the dal
  
• Pressure cook on medium heat for about 7-8 whistles. It takes 11-12 minutes in total to get the dal soft and mushy
  
• Open the cooker lid and mash the dal with a whisk or spoon. Keep this aside
  
• Take a small bowl and add tamarind to warm water. Keep it for 20-30 minutes (you can also use readymade tamarind paste)
  
• Later, squeeze it in water and keep it aside. Remove the pulp
  
• Now take a frying pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil with ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Mix and stir well at the lowest flame (we recommend using groundnut or canola oil)
  
• Now rinse and peel all the vegetables. Cut them nicely. If adding brinjals, cut and soak in water to retain their colour
  
• Take a pot, add a little oil and ½ teaspoon mustard seeds (keep the heat medium-low). Let the seeds crackle 
  
• Now add 1 teaspoon of urad dal and let it cook until it changes to a maroonish colour
  
• Now add small onions 10-12 (whole or halved) and 4-5 curry leaves with hing
  
• Stir and sauté on medium-low heat for 2 minutes, and let the onion soften
  
• Now, add 3 chopped tomatoes and sauté on medium-low heat for another 5 minutes
  
• Add drumsticks, carrot, green beans and potatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes
  
• Now, add okra, brinjals, and prepared tamarind pulp 
  
• Add 1-1.5 cups of water and salt to taste
  
• Cover the pan and let it simmer on medium-low heat (let the tamarind aroma go away and the vegetables get cooked)
  
• Now, add the secret ingredient: sambar powder 
  
• Mix well, and add mashed lentils to 1 cup of water. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes 

Your restaurant-style sambar is ready! Serve with 1 pot of rice or idlis. 

Check It Out: Sambar Masala Powder

Cooking Tips 

• Sambar’s taste is highly influenced by sambar masala powder. Make sure to invest in a good quality masala or make one at home
  
• If you’re roasting spices, use a thick-bottomed pan and low heat. Stir continuously to avoid burning 
  
• Tomatoes are one of the key ingredients in sambar. It gives it a unique tangy flavour, do not skip 
  
• Do add drumsticks, as it gives nice taste in sambar
  
• Make sure to sauté those vegetables first that take time to cook 
  
• Both masoor and toor dal are added to hotel-made sambar. You may also only make it with toor dal
  
• Adjust consistency as needed. You may keep sambar thin for idlis and dosas, and thick for rice

Hotel-style sambar is easy to make only if you keep a few points in mind. Just make sure to buy a good-quality sambar masala powder to upgrade your chef game!