Sambhar Masala

Experience the soul of South Indian cooking in a spoonful – a fragrant blend that brings your homemade sambar to life. Vaahe Sambhar Masala is a carefully crafted spice mix that captures the authentic taste of sambar, the beloved lentil stew from South India. With this masala, the complex medley of spices needed for a perfect sambar is conveniently combined for you – from the roasted coriander and cumin that form the base, to the aromatic curry leaves and asafoetida that give sambhar its signature aroma. One whiff of this blend and you’ll be transported to a Kerala kitchen on a rainy day, with a pot of sambar bubbling on the stove, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. The flavor profile is a balanced harmony of warm, spicy, tangy, and herbal notes: expect a hit of coriander and chilli, a touch of pepper’s heat, the subtle sweetness of cinnamon, and a finishing tang from dried tamarind. It’s grandma’s secret recipe, now in your hands, ready to delight your family with an authentic Sambhar. 

Features & Highlights:

• Authentic Southern Flavor: Our Sambhar Masala is blended to mirror traditional recipes from Kerala, ensuring that the characteristic flavor of sambar is spot on. It contains all the key spices a South Indian home cook would use – including coriander, fenugreek (via our spice mix), mustard, and asafoetida (hing) for that unmistakable depth and aroma. We even include dried curry leaves and a hint of mint leaves, which sets our blend apart and adds a delightful freshness to the mix. This is real sambar powder like you’d find in a local Chennai market.
• Tangy Twist Built-In: What truly makes sambar unique is its subtle tanginess. Vaahe Sambhar Masala includes tamarind powder and an acidity regulator (INS 330, citric acid) right in the blend. This means your sambar will have that gentle sour note that usually comes from tamarind pulp – even if you don’t have fresh tamarind on hand, our masala has you covered for that authentic taste.
• High Spice Content, No Fillers: There are no fillers like flour or starch – every spoon is packed with potent spices. This high spice content ensures a little masala goes a long way. Plus, like all Vaahe products, it’s free from artificial colors, MSG, or preservatives. The vibrant reddish-brown color comes naturally from quality chillies and turmeric in the blend.
• Roasted & Aromatic: Some of the spices in our sambhar masala are dry-roasted before grinding – a traditional technique to intensify flavor. You’ll notice nutty, deep aromatic notes because of this. For instance, the chana dal and coriander seeds are likely roasted to bring out a fuller flavor, which then helps to thicken the sambar broth slightly and give it a richer taste. This attention to preparation sets our blend apart from generic mixes.
• Versatile in South Indian Cuisine: While absolutely essential for sambhar (the lentil-vegetable stew), this masala can also be used in other South Indian dishes. It’s fantastic in rasam (a spicier, thinner soup) – just add a pinch of Vaahe Sambhar Masala along with extra pepper and cumin for a quick rasam.

Cultural & Quality Notes: Sambhar Masala is a reflection of a region’s love affair with flavor. In South India, every family has its own sambhar powder recipe, often passed down through generations. With Vaahe Sambhar Masala, we have collaborated with spice experts and home cooks from Kerala and Tamil Nadu to bottle that tradition. The ingredients like curry leaves are sourced fresh from Kerala, dried gently to retain their color and essential oils. The hing (asafoetida) we use is a high-quality resin, which is powdered and added in just the right amount – you’ll catch its aroma, but it won’t overpower (too much hing can be unpleasant; we’ve balanced it perfectly). We also ensure our red chillies in the mix are a variety that provides warm heat and a beautiful color (likely Byadgi or Kashmiri chillies), so your sambhar isn’t too fiery unless you add extra chilli on your own. 

Quality-wise, this blend is made under stringent conditions: spices are sorted and cleaned to remove any stones or stems, then each is roasted or sun-dried as required. After blending, the masala is immediately packaged to avoid any loss of volatile oils. We do not add any anti-caking chemicals besides a bit of food-grade INS 330 for maintained tang (which is essentially citric acid, a safe acidity regulator). The result is a fresh, kitchen-like masala that could very well replace that secret recipe from your South Indian friend’s grandmother – we won’t tell if you won’t! Enjoy the comfort of homemade sambhar with the convenience of our blend; and savor the warmth and hospitality of South India in every bowl. 

Vaahe Tip: To complete your South Indian culinary journey, you might want to keep our Turmeric Powder and Red Chilli Powder on hand – they’re great for adjusting color and heat in sambar or other dishes. If you enjoy this masala, you might also like our Meat Masala for non-veg curries, which carries a different yet equally rich spice profile for North Indian stews.

• Coriander Seeds, Green Cardamom, Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil), Star Anise, Black Pepper, Iodised Salt, Mint Leaves, Curry Leaves, Tamarind Powder, Red Chillies, Asafoetida (Hing), Acidity Regulator (INS 330), and Spice Mix (contains other spices like cumin, fenugreek, etc.)