Idli Sambar Recipe (Sambar Idli Recipe) (2024)

Idli Sambar is a famous divinely south indian breakfast combination. Idli Sambar is comforting and healthy making it the best and popular breakfast in India. Sambar idli tasting just like in hotels is posted here. Idli Sambar recipe with step by step pictures for easy understanding and reference.

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Idli Sambar is an unbeatable combo sure a match made in heaven. Idli and sambar is a staple in South India and we enjoy idli sambar for both breakfast and dinner.

About Idli Sambar

Idli is steamed rice cake. Sambar is a vegetable curry made with shallots and assorted vegetables. Idli Sambar is nothing but soft idli dunked in hot piping sambar with a lavish garnish of raw onions and coriander leaves.

I love to eat idli with both sambar and coconut chutney. At times I love to dunk the idlis in sambar and enjoy my sambar idli that is my preference only now, during my childhood days I hate to mash up and eat. I lovemini idli sambaror sambar idli the best but only at some restaurants where I like their sambar, here in CBE I love both Annapoorna and Anandas.

Sambar is one of the quite essential south indian staple lunch menu. Usually we maketiffin sambarwith moong dal which I have posted long back but I prefer this sambar. This idli sambar recipe is no fancy just a easy method of making sambar so wanted to share it with you all.This sambar goes well with idli dosa pongal or even with rice.Attimes I make this in the morning as tiffin sambar and combine it with lunch as lunch sambar yes 2 in 1 sambar.

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What is Sambar?

Sambar is a South indian vegetable stew made with lentils, assorted vegetables and a spice blend called sambar powder. It is a staple in South indian homes.

Is Idli Sambar and Sambar Idli the same?

Yes they are one and the same. Just the name we refer to differs. At home we call it idli with sambar which slowly changed to idli sambar. Idli sambar is called sambar idli in hotels and they serve it with a generous garnish of raw onions and coriander leaves.

Idli Sambar memories

When we visit Hotel Annapoorna, I buy sambar idli just for the sake of sambar, though the sambar now served there is not as tasty as it used to be years ago…still I love the sambar for its unique flavour and taste. When relatives / friends visit us, we make it a point to take them to Annapoorna, they love the sambar and say its the best.Now let me tell you this idli sambar recipe is no way connected to Annapoorna sambar, Now you ask me why do I rave so much about Annapoorna sambar when this post is no way related to it?! Let me tell you I always have fond memories of eating idli sambar and dosa sambar at Annapoorna so it takes me back to my childhood days whenever I write about Sambar and its sure a feel good factor for me.

I saw this hotel sambar recipe in my favorite tv show long back and totally forgot about it. Few weeks back, when I was looking for different sambar recipes for making sambar idli and sambar vadai,I remembered this one and tried it. The color and flavour of this sambar is so good,it was a great combo with piping hot idlis.I made this sambar few weeks back but the taste still lingers. This sambar is great as tiffin sambar guess it will go well with rice too.

To make Sambar Idli just pour sambar generously over the soft hot idlis, garnish with chopped raw onion, coriander leaves, drizzle ghee and serve hot!

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📖 Recipe Card

How to make Idli Sambar

Idli Sambar – Method 1 Hotel style

1.Take 1/2 cup toor dal along with 1/8 cup moong dal.Rinse it well.

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2.Add to cooker along with 2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles or until mushy.

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3.Let the pressure release by itself.

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4.Open and mash it well with a laddle. Set aside.

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5.To a bowl add 2 tablespoon tamarind, soak in around 1/2 cup warm water. Crush it roughly and set aside for 15 mins.

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6.After 15 mins crush well to extract the pulp. Tamarind extract ready.

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7.Now to a pot heat 2 teaspoon oil – add around 10-15 small onion,1 big tomato ,1 long green chilli

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8.Saute for few mins until tomatoes turn mushy.

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9.Add cooked, mashed dal to it.

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10.Rinse the cooker with 1 cup water and add it. Mix it well.

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11.Cook covered for 10-12 mins for the veggies to get cooked.

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12.Open.

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13.Check if carrot is cooked. Prick with a spoon or fork if it easily goes through then its done else cook for few more mins.

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14.Strain and add tamarind extract.

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15.Add 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder.

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16.Mix well and let sambar boil. Meanwhile we can prepare the tadka.

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17.To a tadka pan – heat oil. add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon urad dal, a generous pinch hing, few curry leaves and let it splutter. Finally add 1 heaped teaspoon sambar powder give a quick mix and switch off. Do not burn so switch off immediately.

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18.Add this to boiling sambar.

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19.Mix it well. Boil for 3-5 mins.

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20.Finally garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon sugar and switch off. Hot tasty idli sambar ready.

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Sambar ready! Drizzle ghee while serving. You can even add a teaspoon of ghee while tempering.

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Idli Sambar – Method 2 Home style

Ingredients

1/2 cup toor dal
2 small tomatoes
2 small carrot roughly chopped
1 heaped teaspoon sambar powder
2 pinches turmeric powder
1 tablespoon thin tamarind pulp
Water as required
1 teaspoon ghee
salt to taste

To temper:
2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon split urad dal
10 nos small onion
1/4 teaspoon hing
a sprig curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Step by Step

1. Rinse dal and set aside.In a pressure cooker heat oil add tomato and carrot saute till tomatoes becomes mushy then add dal along with turmeric powder and salt.Add water and pressure cook for 4 whistles in low medium flame.Pin
2. Allow pressure to release by itself.Mash the dal well and heat it up.Make a paste with sambar powder and little water and add it to the boiling sambar.
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3. Let it boil, add water to adjust the consistency if it becomes too thick.Let it boil for a good 5mins.
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4. Then add tamarind water.In a kadai – add the items listed under ‘to temper’ saute it for a minute.
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5. Add it to sambar and let it boil for 5more minutes.Then garnish with coriander leaves , add a teaspoon of ghee and switch off.
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6. Ina serving plate place the idlis and pour hot sambar over the idlis so that they are nicely dunked inside.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
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Serve with hot idlis.

How to make Sambar Idli

1. Take a laddle full and add it to the idly pan and steam it for 10-12mins. Say hi to my new idli pot which I’ve been longing to buy.
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2. Sprinkle little water and carefully slide around the edges using a spoon to take the idlis.Now idlis are ready.Sambar should be hot now get ready with all other ingredients.Take 2 idlis in a plate.
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3. Pour sambar over it.Pour more till the idlis are fully covered with sambar.
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4. Yes done, this is what we want, drizzle ghee.Now sprinkle chopped raw onion and coriander leaves.Serve!
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Serve hot!

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Expert Tips

• This sambar will get thick, so adjust the consistency by adding water according to your preference.
• Adding veggies is purely your choice.You can use carrots,brinjal for making this sambar. You can even use drumstick.
• Adding moong dal gives thickness to the sambar and also lends a good flavour.
• Sambar should be neither thick nor runny, it should be inbetween.
• Add veggies or a combination of veggies so that sambar is flavourful.
• Make sure your sambar or idli is hot while making sambar idli so that the idlis easily absorb the sambar.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder if your sambar powder is less spicy.

Variations

• You can either use tiffin sambar or this hotel sambar for making idli sambar.
• Adding vegetables is purely your choice or even make it plain like I have made. But I strongly recommend vegetables like brinjal, drumstick etc.
• If you don’t have sambar powder use 1 teaspoon red chilli powder along with 1 teaspoon coriander powder.

FAQs

1.What is Idli sambar / Sambar idli?

Soft idli dunked in piping hot sambar is served in hotels which is called idli sambar or sambar idli.

2.Can we use lunch sambar or leftover sambar for this idli sambar ?

Yes you can use the leftover sambar you made for lunch. Just heat it up and do a mild tempering with mustard seeds,curry leaves and hing to get fresh flavours.

3.Can I make sambar using only toor dal? Is moong dal must?

A combination of dal is used which gives great flavour and taste to the sambar. So I recommend adding both or even masoor dal instead of moong dal. If you don’t have or don’t prefer adding combination of dals then just add toor dal alone.

4.What can I replace with sambar powder?

You can add 1 teaspoon red chilli powder along with 1 teaspoon coriander powder to replace sambar powder.

5.Can I use vegetables for this sambar?

Adding vegetables is purely your choice or even make it plain like I have made with just shallots and tomatoes. But I strongly recommend vegetables like brinjal, drumstick etc.

6. Can I use readymade or storebought sambar powder?

Yes you can use either homemade or storebought sambar powder.

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