Sambar powder

For a pot of sambar, this is the backbone seasoning. Sambar powder is a traditional South Indian spice blend made from roasted coriander seeds, dried red chillies, lentils, and aromatic spices, produced as a finely ground dry powder. It is the primary seasoning agent used to make sambar, the iconic South Indian lentil and vegetable stew.

You’ll also hear it called sambar podi in Tamil and Malayalam, huli pudi in Kannada, and sambaru podi in Telugu.

Expect a distinctly aromatic mix from roasted coriander, fenugreek, and curry leaves, with a deep, earthy base from cumin and peppercorns. Roasted lentils bring a rich, savoury nuttiness, while roasted dried red chillies add a pronounced fiery edge. The profile balances gentle bitterness from fenugreek, sharp heat from chillies, and herbaceous citrus notes from coriander seeds.

Add sambar powder during cooking. Simmer it with tamarind extract and cooked vegetables so the raw spice flavors meld into the stew.

Many South Indian home cooks use it as an all-purpose seasoning in dry vegetable stir-fries like poriyal, varuval, and palya.

It also serves as a flavour base in tamarind-heavy curries such as vatha kuzhambu and kara kuzhambu.

Sambar powder originated in southern India. It developed alongside the culinary tradition of tamarind-and-pigeon-pea based stews.