Tiffin Sambar, a quintessential South Indian dish, embodies the essence of home-cooked comfort. Bursting with the flavors of lentils, vegetables, and aromatic spices, this tangy and flavorful accompaniment elevates any meal. Served piping hot with dosa, idli, or ven pongal, it’s a wholesome and satisfying culinary experience. We normally use only potatoes for this type of sambar.
Tiffin Sambar (for Idli & Dosa)
Idli Sambar (Tiffin Sambar) is a flavor-packed South Indian delight, perfect with dosa, idli, or rice. With lentils, veggies, and spices, it's a comforting culinary adventure. Unconventionally creamy with a touch of milk, this sambar is all about flavor and smoothness. Add your twist with different vegetables or stick to my tradition. Dive in with idlis, some ghee, and sheer delight!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Toor Dhal
- 2 Green chillies slit
- 1 Onion (medium) thinly sliced
- 1 Potato cut into small cubes
- 1 Tomato chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Tamarind paste or take 1 small lime size raw tamarind, soak in 1/2 cup hot water and squeeze out the tamarind juice after a while
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp Tiffin sambar powder adjust for spice level
- 1/2 cup Milk boiled & cooled
- Salt to taste
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Methi (Fenugreek) seeds
- 1/2 tsp Jeera (Cumin) seeds
- 1/2 tsp Dhania (Coriander) seeds
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 pinch Hing (Asafoetida)
Instructions
- Rinse and soak toor dhal in hot water (2 cups) for half an hour. Pressure cook the dhal for 5 to 6 whistles so it becomes soft. Mash it well and mix with 1/2 cup milk and keep aside. Yes, milk 🙂 (Milk adds a creamy texture to the sambar, making it richer and smoother)
- Heat oil in a pan, add ingredients under seasoning one at a time and saute till the dhals turn light brown.
- Add slit green chillies, onion and potatoes and saute for about 2 minutes.
- Then add the tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt and saute together till tomatoes become soft.
- Add tamarind paste with 3 cups of water and allow the sambar to boil for about 10 minutes till the raw flavor of tamarind goes away.
- Then add the mashed dhal which is mixed with milk. Stir well and bring the idli sambar to a boil.
- Now add the tiffin sambar podi and mix well. Taste the sambar and add more if you want it more spicy. Add a handful of chopped coriander leaves and I personally add a tsp of ghee for flavor.
- Serve hot with idlis, dosas, pongal, or even puris.
Tips
- I normally don’t add any other vegetable. But you can add drumstick or any vegetable of your choice
- You can get the Tiffin sambar powder in Indian stores or make your own. Click on the link to get the recipe of my Tiffin sambar podi.
- You can make the same recipe with 1/2 toor dhal and 1/2 moong dhal for hotel style sambar and it is healthier too.
- The traditional way to eat idli sambar is to first place few steamed idlis on a plate or banana leaf. Then, pour a generous amount of sambar over the idlis. Drizzle a tsp of melted ghee or nallennai (sesame oil) on top and we love it with some chopped red onions and coriander leaves over it. Use your fingers to break off a piece of idli which is bathing in the aromatic sambar and enjoy the combination of flavors. Tastes heavenly with couple of vadas and a cup of filter kaapi. I know it’s way too much to ask for 🙂
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