Idli Sambar Recipe (Tiffin Sambar)

idli sambar combination with tiffin sambar in a bucket and five idli arranged in a semi-circle on a plate.

4.69 from 45 votes

Idli Sambar is a popular South Indian dish where steamed rice-lentil cakes (idli) are served with a mildly spiced lentil and vegetable stew. This recipe uses toor dal, vegetables, tamarind and freshly roasted spices for depth of flavor. The tiffin-style sambar is perfect for breakfast. Serve hot with idli and coconut chutney for a complete meal.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: South Indian

Diet: Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 219kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For cooking lentils

¼ cup tur dal (husked & split tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils)
¼ cup masoor dal (husked & split red lentils)
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
1.25 to 1.5 cups water - for cooking in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker

For tempering

2 tablespoons oil - gingelly oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal (husked & split black lentil)
4 to 5 curry leaves
¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)

For cooking veggies

1 large (100 grams) onion - chopped or 10 to 12 pearl onions or small shallots
3 medium-sized (220 to 230 grams) tomatoes - chopped
1 to 2 drumsticks - scraped and chopped in 2 to 3 inch pieces
1 carrot - medium-sized
6 to 7 green beans or or flat beans, chopped
1 potato - medium-sized, optional
4 to 5 okra - chopped (bhindi)
6 to 7 nos or (80 to 100 grams) brinjals - small sized, (mini or baby eggplants) quartered or halved depending on the size
1 to 1.25 cups water or add as required
salt as required

For tamarind pulp

1 tablespoon tamarind
¼ to ⅓ cup water - warm or hot

For tiffin sambar powder

5 kashmiri chilies or or byadagi/bedgi chilies or 4 to 5 dry red chilies - reduce depending upon the heat in the chilies
11 to 12 large curry leaves or 16 to 18 small curry leaves
1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon chana dal (split & husked bengal gram)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole black pepper
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
2 teaspoons oil - gingelly oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil

Other ingredients

1 cup water - to be added later or add as required
1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves - chopped for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cooking the lentils

Rinse both the lentils well and then add them in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker with 1.25 to 1.5 cups water and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
Pressure cook the lentils for 7 to 8 whistles or 11 to 12 minutes until the lentils have softened and well cooked.
You can also cook the lentils in a pan on a stove top or in the instant pot.
I recommend to soak the lentils for about 30 minutes in enough water prior to cooking them in a pan. This helps in the faster cooking of the lentils.
Once the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, open the cooker. Mash the lentils with a wired whisk and spoon. Keep aside.

Making tiffin sambar powder

In a small and heavy frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil. Keep the heat to a low. First, add the mustard seeds.
Then add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, chana dal (bengal gram), fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies.
On a low heat stir non-stop and roast till the spices become aromatic and golden.
Keep aside to cool. Don't burn the spices.
Once the spices cool, grind them to a powder in a dry grinder or coffee grinder. Keep aside.

More preparation

Soak the tamarind in warm water for 25 to 30 mins.
Later squeeze the tamarind in the soaked water and extract the tamarind pulp. You can strain tamarind pulp and keep aside.
Chop all the veggies. Quarter the onions or halve the pearl onions. Peel and dice the carrots and potatoes.
Dice the brinjals and add them in water to prevent discoloration.
Chop the tomatoes in small pieces.

Cooking veggies

In a pan, heat oil first. Add the mustard seeds and let them begin to crackle. Then add the urad dal and sauté till they turn to a maroonish color.
Add quartered onions or halved pearl onions, curry leaves and asafoetida. Stir and saute for 2 minutes till the onions soften a bit.
Add the tomatoes, salt as required and continue to saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a medium-low heat.
Then add the veggies which take a longer time to cook (carrots, beans, potatoes, drumsticks etc) and saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a medium-low flame.
Then add remaining quick-cooking veggies like brinjals, ladyfingers (okra), pumpkin etc now. Stir and mix.
Add the tamarind pulp and 1 to 1.25 cups water.
Season with salt as per taste. Mix well.
Cover pan and simmer until the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away and the veggies are almost cooked.
If the veggies are undercooked, then continue to simmer till they are almost cooked.

Making idli sambar

Add the ground sambar powder which we have already prepared. Mix well.
Add the mashed dal.
Add 1 cup water or as required depending on the consistency you want.
Stir and simmer without lid for about 6 to 7 minutes or till it comes to a boil. Stir at intervals.
Check the taste and add more salt if required.
Meanwhile when you keep the dal for pressure cooking, you can steam idli. Both small-sized mini idli or large idli goes well with tiffin sambar.
While serving place the idli in a serving bowl. Pour the tiffin sambar. Garnish with some coriander leaves or finely chopped onions. You can even drizzle a bit of ghee on top. Serve idli sambar hot.
This tiffin sambar pairs best with idli. You can use my traditional Idli Recipe for best results. You can also pair it with dosa, medu vada, rava idli or steamed rice.

Video

Notes

You can use vegetables of your choice like carrots, pumpkin, drumsticks, or beans.
Along with tuvar dal, you can add masoor dal as I have done or even moong dal for variation. You could also choose to make the recipe only with tur dal.
For best flavor, aroma and taste use freshly ground sambar powder.
Adjust the consistency as needed. Hotel-style sambar served with idli, dosa, or vada is thin, while for rice, keep the sambar slightly thick.
The recipe can easily be halved or doubled.
Please note that the nutrition information provided is for the tiffin sambar only, excluding the idli.

Nutrition