Authentic South Indian Hotel-Style Tiffin Sambar
Sambar is my favorite, and I have never met an Indian person who does not like it. Whenever I go to a restaurant, since this sambar is complimentary with any South Indian dish, I take at least 2-3 bowls and enjoy it with pleasure. However, although I found this sambar recipe difficult at first, now that I have made it myself, I don’t think anything is easier than this.
Believe me, not only as a side dish with dosa or idli, I also enjoy it with rice if I can because it’s such a favorite of mine.
Authentic South Indian Sambar (Dal) Recipe
A fragrant and easy-to-pour South Indian curry made with cooked lentils, sour tamarind, small onions, and freshly roasted aromatic spices. Specially designed to be eaten with crunchy dosa, this recipe balances the sour, salty, and slightly sweet flavours without overpowering the vegetables, and is a favourite of mine.
Ingredients
For the Dal Base:
- 1/2 cup Toor Dal (Pigeon Peas)
- 1/4 cup Yellow Moong Dal (gives a smooth texture ideal for dosas)
- 2.5 cups Water
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
For the Fresh Sambar Spice Powder:
- 1 tbsp Oil or Ghee
- 1 tbsp Chana Dal
- 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)
- 3 to 4 Dried Kashmiri Red Chilies
- 2 tbsp Freshly Grated Coconut (optional, for thickness)
For the Curry & Vegetables:
- 12–15 Shallots / Sambar Onions (peeled)
- 1 medium Tomato (chopped)
- 1 small Carrot (diced)
- 1 Drumstick (cut into 2-inch pieces) or 1 small Potato (cubed)
- Small lemon-sized ball of Tamarind (soaked in 1/2 cup warm water, extracted for juice)
- 1/2 tsp Jaggery (optional, balances sourness)
- Salt to taste
- For the Tempering (Tadka):
- 1 tbsp Oil or Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 2 Dried Red Chilies
- A pinch of Hing
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the lentils in a pressure cooker: Wash the tur dal and moong dal together. Cook in a pressure cooker with turmeric, asafoetida and 2.5 cups of water for 4-5 whistles until completely soft. Mix well with a whisk or a spoon and keep aside.
- Fry and grind the spices: Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan. Fry the chickpeas, coriander, cumin, fenugreek and red chillies on a low flame until fragrant. Add the grated coconut (if using) and switch off the flame. Cool and grind to a smooth paste with a few tablespoons of water.
- Boil the vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cooking vessel. Add the small onion and fry for 2 minutes until lightly translucent. Add the tomatoes, carrots and sajan stalks/potatoes. Pour 1.5 cups of water along with salt and cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Mix and boil: Pour tamarind water and boil for 5 minutes until the raw tamarind smell goes away. Add freshly ground sambar masala and crushed dal. Mix well, adjust the consistency with more water if needed (keep it a bit thin/pourable for dosa). Add jaggery and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes.
- Boil: Heat oil/ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds; when they splutter, add cumin seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Pour this hot broth over the boiling sambar immediately and cover with a lid to retain the aroma.
- Serve: Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot, spread over the crispy, golden dosa.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 12gSugar: 9gProtein: 12g
