Koro sambar (Gujarati pickle masala)

Koro sambar, also known as methia no masalo is a spicy blend of mustard and fenugreek seeds mixed with the red chili powder. It is a traditional pickle that you will find it most Gujarati households. Extremely versatile, it is used as is, be it sprinkled on khakhra or dhokla or many other Gujarati delicacies. And come summer, this spice blend is further used in making the lip smacking Methia keri nu athanu or bharela gunda and many other traditional Gujarati pickles. One of my popular recipe, satpadi rotli and bharela marcha uses this koro sambar to transform something simple into a lip smacking recipe.

The recipe is actually quite easy with few ingredients. But just like any other pickle, it is more about the small details than the actual recipe. Let us understand the why and how of these small details.

1. To increase the shelf life of this pickle, ensure that your hands, the spoon, the pan – basically all that comes in contact with the pickle is completely dry. Water is not this pickle’s best friend – it may cause fungus to form on the layer of the pickle and thereby spoiling the entire batch.
2. Dry roast fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds separately. Each seed has a different heating point and it is best to roast them separately. Dry roasting will ensure two things: it will release the essential oils in the seeds thereby making them more flavourful and also help in grinding them in the powder.
3. The yellow mustard works the best in this pickle. The yellow mustard seeds are the mildest in flavour whereas the black mustard is at the other spectrum, being quite pungent. Black and brown mustard seeds besides changing the flavour profile of the pickle can also make the end product look darker and not the bright red we all love in a pickle.
4. The fenugreek seeds can burn easily and in turn become bitter to taste. Therefore, while dry roasting the fenugreek seeds, it is best to watch it carefully and remove from the pan once they smell toasty. Care needs to be taken even while grinding the fenugreek seeds. A coarse powder is best suited to this pickle, a fine powder consistency can make the pickle spice blend slimy.
5. Most often, kashmiri red chili powder is used in this pickle for its colour as well as flavour. Since koro sambar is used as an accompaniment with thepla, dhokla etc, the spice level is not very hot. Crushed yellow mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds along with kashmiri red chili powder make koro sambar adequately spicy.
6. Lastly, the oil. The ‘hot’ oil is poured over the spice to release its aroma and flavours. However, it can go quickly wrong here if super-hot oil is poured over the powdered spice. The red chili can burn quickly changing its bright red colour and also give a burnt after taste. On a thermometer, it should read 130-140 C before you pour it over the oil. Alternatively, you could also test by pouring a spoon of oil over a small amount of the powdered mix. If it sizzles with a wonderful aroma, it is at a right temperature. If it bubbles furiously, it is too hot and needs to cool down a bit before you pour it over the spice mix. And at the other end, if ‘cold’ oil is poured over the spice mix, it will not toast the powders well and therefore needs to brought to the heat again.
7. And of course, storing of the koro sambar. Use a glass container with a glass lid or a plastic lid. Metal lids tend to rust and it can leak into the pickle. So, the traditional ceramic pickle jar or a more modern mason jar works well here. Wash and dry a container and its lid a day before and put it out in the sun to air dry completely. Or wash and dry with a clean towel and then use your hair dryer to completely dry out the container and the lid from inside. A neat trick isn’t it? All credits to my elder sister who is such an expert at all this.

   

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may want to have a look at some of these as well:

1. Bharela marcha (stuffed chili peppers)
2. Dry chutney for vada pav in 5 minutes 
3. Pumpkin seed pesto
4. Masala tea caramel
5. Hung curd dip with garlic oil (vagharelu dahi)