
Koro sambar (Gujarati pickle masala)
Koro sambar or methia no masalo is a traditional Gujarati pickle masala used in making pickle as well as to sprinkle on khakhra, thepla and other delicacies.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Koro sambar / methia masalo (Gujarati pickle masala)
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Recipe Card
Koro sambar (Gujarati pickle masala)
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AUTHOR
Hema B Kathrani
CUISINE
Gujarati
PREP TIME
20 minutes
COOK TIME
5 minutes
SERVINGS
makes 100 gm
Author: Hema B Kathrani | Cuisine: Gujarati | Category: Accompaniments
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Servings: makes 100 gm
Koro sambar or methia no masalo is a traditional Gujarati pickle masala used in making pickle as well as to sprinkle on khakhra, thepla and other delicacies.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup yellow mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
- 1/8 tsp asafoetida (hing)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp black salt
- 2 tbsp kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
Method
- Dry roast the yellow mustard seeds in a pan till aromatic. Remove and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, dry roast fenugreek seeds till toasty. It can burn easily so remove from the pan as soon as you can smell its aroma.
- Heat the oil on a low to medium flame until you can see small bubbles on the side of the pan. Turn off the flame and let it cool to 130-140 C. It should be hot but not fuming hot.
- Blend the toasted yellow mustard seeds in a coarse powder and place it in a bowl.
- In the same mixie jar, blend the toasted mustard seeds in a coarse powder and place it with the yellow mustard seeds powder.
- Add asafoetida, salt, black salt and kashmiri red chili powder to the mix and give a stir till it all combines well.
- Once the temperature of the oil comes to 130-140 C, pour it over the spice mix and give it a stir. When you pour the oil over the spice mix, it should sizzle with a wonderful aromatic smell.
- Bring the koro sambar to the room temperature and store in an air-tight container in a dry, cool place.
Notes
- For the best results, do read the write up on the small details about this pickle.
- To summarize:
- All the containers and things that come in contact with this pickle need to be completely dry to avoid formation of fungus.
- Dry roast the yellow mustard and fenugreek seeds separately as both have different heating point.
- Yellow mustard seeds are best suited to this pickle.
- Dry roast fenugreek seeds carefully as they burn quickly and can taste bitter. Also grind the fenugreek seeds to a coarse powder as grinding them into a fine powder can make the pickle slimy.
- Kashmiri red chili powder is best suited in this pickle for its colour and flavour.
- The oil needs to be at the right temperature of 130-140 C (not too hot or too cold) before pouring on the spice mix. You could also test by spooning the oil over a small amount to check its temperature. It should sizzle on pouring but not furiously bubble.
- Use a glass or a ceramic container with a glass/ceramic or a plastic lid. Ensure it is completely dry before storing koro sambar.
- This recipe makes approximately 100 gm of koro sambar/ methia no masalo. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you need to make it for the pickle.
- This is completely optional and not at all traditional but if you are using this koro sambar only for sprinkling purpose, add 1 ½ tsp of aamchur powder to the mix. It tastes delicious.
- If you intend to make this spice blend for pickle purpose, I would recommend dry roasting the salt as well as black salt in a pan to make it completely dry before proceeding with the recipe.
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2 thoughts on “Koro sambar (Gujarati pickle masala)”
Excellent
Thank you 🙂