Idli Sambar Recipe – How To Make Tiffin Sambar

• Toor dal – one handful (2 tbsp)
• Big onion – 1 no
• Tomato – 1 no
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Cooking oil – few drops
• Water – 1.5 cups

To grind

• Carrot – 1/2 no (medium)
• Cabbage – 1 small leaf or roughly chopped cabbage – 2 tbsp
• Grated coconut – 2 tsp
• Sambar powder – 2 tsp
• Tamarind – Berry size ( sundakkai alavu)

To Temper

• Ghee – 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – few
• Hing/Asafetida – 1/8 tsp

Salt & water – as needed
Jaggery – 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves – to garnish

• Wash and pressure cook the dal, Chopped onion, one whole tomato ( Do not chop the tomato), Turmeric powder and few drops of cooking oil. Add enough water and cook the dal in low flame for 2 whistles. Remove the lid after the steam is released. Mash the dal + tomato very well and set aside.
• In a mixie jar, take the sliced carrot, chopped cabbage, grated coconut, sambar powder and tamarind. Add the required water and grind them to a smooth paste.

• Add this ground paste to the cooked dal mixture. Mix well. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water based on the thickness. Let the sambar roll boil well at least for 3-4 minutes in medium flame till the raw smell of vegetable and sambar powder goes off. Add jaggery when it boils. Check for taste.

• Heat ghee in a kadai and when it gets heated, splutter the mustard seeds, urad dal , hing and curry leaves. Add to the sambar and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and cover the sambar till use. Serve with hot idli drizzled with a tsp of gingely oil.

Enjoy !

• Adjust the quantity of sambar powder as per your taste.
• As we are grinding the vegetables and coconut, it gives thickness to the sambar. So it needs less toor dal.
• Do not add more vegetables for grinding as it may change the flavor of sambar.
• I have added tomato, onion along with dal. If you wish, you can saute them in oil and then add to the dal.
• Tempering in ghee gives a nice flavor.