Koro Sambhar | Pickle Masala | Methia no Masalo

A Gujarati classic recipe; Koro Sambhar or Methia no Masalo is an essential spice mix to make pickles.

It is a mix of seeds and spices with oil and finds applications in everyday recipes as well. Make this and enjoy throughout the year!

Indian cuisine is rich in sides. While there are plenty of main options, the sides like pickles, salads, raita and chutneys make all the mains shine.

Every part of the country have their own collection of specials. Raw papaya sambharo, coconut chutney, barley kachumber etc. are perfect to enjoy any time of the day.

The state of Gujarati has their share of delicious recipes that pair with multiple mains to make delicious meals, snacks and breakfasts. One such variant of masalas is koro sambhar or methia no masalo.

This classic Gujarati pickling masala has so many uses and makes a great spice powder to have at hand. It is a mix of some super amazing ingredients to make a delicious topping, a side or add-in for so many recipes.

Jump to:

• What is Koro Sambhar
• Homemade vs store bought Koro Sambhar
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Uses of Koro Sambhar
• Recipe FAQs
• Pairings
• More Cooking Basic Recipes
• Koro Sambhar | Pickle Masala | Methia no Masalo

What is Koro Sambhar

A classic heirloom Gujarati recipe, Koro Sambhar or methia no masalo is a mix of ground fenugreek and mustard seeds with chili and some spices. These are combined with sesame oil to make a crumbly mix.

Koro sambhar is not only an essential ingredient in pickles it is also a great topping to enjoy with khichu, khakhra, roti or parathas.

It is a mix that a lot of households make in early April-May and use it throughout the year. I have seen my mother make kilos worth of this masala as soon as summer is close and then convert this magically into an array of pickles and everyday recipes. This recipe has been handed down from generations and our family really loves it. And I am glad to finally have it here for everyone to try.

Though a classic, the proportions, ingredients and method often varies from one household to the other and so does the final product texture, color and taste. However, most of the recipes are quite similar and can be modified to suit your taste.

If you are not into pickling, you would still enjoy this masala in various recipes. With the Achari revolution that the food world has seen, a couple of spoons of this masala is great to make all these achari parathas, sabzis, breads, rolls and so on.

Homemade vs store bought Koro Sambhar

Koro sambhar is easily available from many brands in Indian stores and online. Though these are easy to buy off the shelf, they come with their own shortcomings.

While some of these may be super spicy, some may be absolutely mild depending on the kind of chili powder used. Moreover, we do not know the proportion of ingredients in the mix. So these are often unpredictable.

However, when we make this at home, we can adjust the kind and amount of ingredients as we like. And the recipe is only a few steps; making it easy to put together. So I would strongly recommend making it at home.

Why this recipe works

• We can use koro sambhar to make pickles like raw mango, gunda or any vegetables.
• By itself the masala is naturally Vegan.
• The masala is great as a topping with khichu, khakhra, roti or parathas too.
• The recipe remains gluten-free by using pure asafetida.
• We can easily vary the spice level in the recipe.
• Moreover, it is easy to modify the proportions of ingredients to make this.
• Most of the ingredients here are easy to find in Indian stores and online.
• The masala takes only a few minutes of active time to make.
• The shelf life for these is pretty long; especially when handled carefully.
• We can make a batch large enough for the year or a small one for a couple of weeks.
• The mix is preservative free.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Rai na Kuria: The first ingredient of this masala is rai na kuria. This is easily available in most Indian stores in small packets. Other common names for this are split mustard seeds, mustard dal or cracked mustard seeds. Rai kuria has a fresh aroma and a pungent flavor, with a slightly bitter taste.
• Methi na Kuria: Another ingredient we use is methi na kuria. Just like rai na kuria this is split methi seeds. The skin of fenugreek seeds is removed and the seeds are split to make this. This also has a pungent and strong taste and is almost irreplaceable in pickles.
• Asafetida: A fat pinch of asafetida adds to the pungency of the masala. Use a pure version that does not have flour mixed in. That way the masala is free from gluten.
• Turmeric: Turmeric helps us get the perfect spice and color to the masala. Pure turmeric is best to use in the recipe.
• Chili Powder: We need the masala to be spicy. I like to use a 25:75 blend of spicy and Kashmiri chili but this ratio can be modified based on how spicy you want the masala.
• Oil: Sesame Oil is the best for the recipe. While there are plenty of sesame oils available, I tend to stick to the one from the Indian store against the Asian toasted sesame oil etc. It has the perfect flavor as the pickles in India.
• Salt: This is an optional ingredient. Often people make the masala without salt and add salt while making the pickle. As I like to serve this masala with khichu, theple etc. I add salt to the masala itself.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In a spice blender add methi na kuria.

2- Crush till it is medium coarse. Remove in a bowl.

3- Then add in rai na kuria to the spice blender.

4- Blend to medium coarse and set aside. Work in batches and process all the kuria.

5- In a large glass bowl add blended methi na kuria.

6- Then add all the rai na kuria around it.

7- Make a well in the middle of the methi na kuria and add the asafetida.

8- Heat the sesame oil till it smokes and transfer this hot oil into the prepared bowl.

9- The oil and masalas will bubble for a bit and settle.

10- Then cover the bowl and set aside to cool.

11- Open the cover and add the remaining ingredients.

12- Mix well till everything combines. Then transfer to a clean glass jar using a clean spoon and use as desired.

Pro Tip: Use the right size of glass jar. We want the masala to be packed all the way to avoid oxidation.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Keep water away: Water is the biggest enemy of pickles. So keep the containers, blender, spoons and hands free from moisture. If water gets into any stage of the koro masala procedure, it tends to cause fungus to form in it.
• Use the right rai: Rai or mustard seeds comes in two forms; yellow and black. Yellow rai has a milder taste and is better to use in the recipe. Kuria is easily available in Indian stores. If you cannot find it, use yellow mustard seeds instead.
• Which sesame oil to use: Again sesame oil tends to be of different kinds. Use the one from the Indian store over the one from Asian markets. The Asian ones are often made from toasted sesame and is generally darker in color.
• Use a glass container: Make the spice mix in a glass container. The spices tend to react with metal and plastic is not the preferred material to use with pickles.
• Heating the oil: Heat the sesame oil till it smokes. This way we rid the oil of its pungency. Then add it into the crushed kuria and asafetida. As chili tends to burn in this hot oil, we add it after the mix is cool.
• Mix of chili: As this is a multi purpose masala used to make pickles and with khichu, thepla etc it has to be balanced in taste and spice. I use 25:75 mix of hot chili and Kashmiri. This gives the masala spice and a great color. However, feel free to modify the ratio based on preferences.
• Storing the masala: Store the masala in a glass container. Also, add it to the container and use a spoon to pack it tight. Leaving air between the particles tend to oxidize the spices.

Uses of Koro Sambhar

We can use this spice mix in so many ways. Here are some popular ways to use this one:

• Make Indian style pickles like keri, gunda, vegetables, carrots, apples or garlic. All these need the base ingredient, some koro sambhar and sesame oil to make.
• Koro sambhar works perfectly to make theplas and parathas. Use this methi thepla or whole wheat paratha recipe and add a tablespoon of koro sambhar to the flour. The achari flavor in the recipes are great.
• Moreover, enjoy koro sambhar or methia no masalo on top of khichu, dhokla or khaman.
• It is great to serve with different types of rice recipes; namely quinoa khichdi, masala khichdi, etc.
• A perfect treat to enjoy with khakhra, this makes a great breakfast option.
• It is also perfect to add in curries and vegetables like cauliflower, potato, peas, mixed vegetable etc. This gives us delicious achari sabzis.
• Moreover it is great to make fusion recipes like achari pizza, achari bread, achari focaccia and so on.

Recipe FAQs

Pairings

This methi masala is used in Gujarati recipes very often. From serving along with thepla, gathiya and khichu to using in making pickles, the options are unlimited. Here are some perfect pairings.

More Cooking Basic Recipes