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Sambar is a definite part of South Indian meals. Sometimes, they make Sambar even more than once a day – for breakfast and later for lunch or dinner.

Sambar is made by boiling toovar dal and then adding raw vegetables, tamarind pulp and homemade sambar masala, simmered till vegetables are cooked in 15 minutes.

South Indian homemade sambar is cooked not only by South Indians but all Indians. It so popular that you can get it anywhere in India. We have made South Indian homemade sambar recipe which is not not sweet. Restaurant style Sambar tends to be sweet through the addition of jaggery or sugar.

A common way to have Sambar is with steamed rice, papadum and spicy mango pickle for lunch.

Brimful of the goodness of toovar dal and assorted vegetables, it is nutritious everyday fare and is so versatile that Sambhar can be taken with rice, idli, dosa, vada, upma, and just about any Snacks.

Aside from South Indian homemade sambar, try our Kerala Sambar and South Indian Radish Sambar recipes.

Enjoy sambar recipe | South Indian sambar recipe | homemade sambhar recipe | how to make sambar | with step by step photos and video below.

Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe

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Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe recipe - How to make Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe

Preparation Time:    Cooking Time:    Total Time:     6Makes 6 servings
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Ingredients
Method
For sambar
    For sambar
  1. To make sambar, wash the toovar dal thoroughly and drain.
  2. Combine the washed dal and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
  3. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
  4. Blend the dal using a hand blender till it is smooth and keep aside.
  5. Combine the drumsticks, bottle gourd and potatoes with 1 cup of water in a deep non-stick pan and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till the vegetables are soft. Keep aside.
  6. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
  7. Add the tomatoes, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  8. Add the cooked bottle gourd and drumstick, shallots, tamarind pulp, cooked dal, , salt, sambhar masala, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and ¾ cup of water, mix well and bring to boil and allow to cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  9. Cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  10. Add the coriander, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
  11. Serve the sambar hot.
Nutrient values (Abbrv) per serving
Energy143 cal
Protein5.2 g
Carbohydrates18.4 g
Fiber2.8 g
Fat5.4 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium10.7 mg
Sambar Video, How to make Sambar, South Indian Sambar
Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe with step by step photos

Like Sambar Recipe
    Like Sambar Recipe
  1. South Indian homemade Sambar is so popular that most women in India make their Sambar.  If you like the Sambar recipe, given below are the links of famous South Indian recipes :

Recipe Tips For Sambar
    Recipe Tips For Sambar
  1. You can even make use of other vegetables like brinjal, french beans, ash gourd, raddish, amaranth leaves, carrots, spinach, pumpkin, lady finger, sweet potato or any other vegetable of your liking. They help in increasing the nutrient quotient and enhance the flavour of the Sambar.
  2. While we have cooked vegetables separately in the above recipe, you can also add mixed vegetables in a small container, place it inside the pressure cooker with the dal and cook.
  3. The fat used for tempering the Sambar varies from region to region. Authentic South Indian homemade Sambar makes use of ghee while sambhar recipe in Tamil Nadu makes use of sesame oil and Kerala uses coconut oil
  4. Pressure cooking the dals is the easiest way to cook it but, you can even cook them directly on the stove top.
  5. In Karnataka a bit of jaggery is added for a pleasant sweet taste while in some regions, fresh coconut or dry roasted coconut is added to enhance the taste of the Sambar.

Preparation for the Sambar
    Preparation for the Sambar
  1. To prepare Sambar, prepare the sambhar masala as per this detailed recipe of and keep aside
  2. Wash the toovar dal thoroughly in a bowl full of water or under running water. Restaurants and tiffin centers use a mix of tuvar dal and masoor dal to cut down the cost. You can even make use of a combination of moong dal, masoor dal and toor dal to make the hotel Sambar recipe.
  3. Drain it using a strainer.
  4. Transfer the washed dal into a pressure cooker.
  5. Add 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
  6. Allow the steam to escape naturally before opening the lid.
  7. Blend the dal using a hand blender till it is smooth and keep aside. Alternatively, you can even blend the dal with a hand whisk or potato masher.
  8. This is how you need to cut drumstick for Sambar.
  9. Take 1 cup of water in a deep non-stick pan and bring it to boil.
  10. Add bottle gourd to the water.
  11. Further add drumstick.
  12. Cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. The veggies should hold their shape and not become mushy.
  13. Drain them and keep aside. You can reserve this water and use it later while preparing the Sambar.
  14. Soak 2 tbsp tamarind in ¼ cup of hot water for a minimum of half an hour to extract the tamarind pulp. Once the tamarind gets soft, squeeze the tamarind in water itself. Strain and make use of the pulp. 

How to make Sambar
    How to make Sambar
  1. For making the Sambar recipe, heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan.
  2. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
  3. Add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Fresh kadi patta is a must ingredient while tempering the Sambar as it lends a unique flavour and aroma.
  4. Sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
  5. Add the tomatoes. They provide a tangy flavour to the South Indian vegetable Sambar.
  6. Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  7. Add the cooked bottle gourd,drumsticks and potatoes. 
  8. Add the shallots. If you don’t have sambar onions then make use of regular onions.
  9. Add the tamarind pulp.
  10. Add the cooked dal.
  11. Add the salt and sambar masala. Nothing beats the aroma and flavour of a freshly made sambar masala.
  12. Add the chilli powder.
  13. Add the turmeric powder.
     
  14. Add ¾ cup of water. Feel free to add water as per the consistency you desire.
  15. Mix well and bring South Indian homemade Sambar to boil and allow to cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
  16. Add the coriander, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
  17. Serve the South Indian Sambar hot. Enjoy the piping hot sambar with soft idlis, palak paneer dosas and other South-Indian delights like vada, paniyaram, adai etc.

Sambar goes with Idli
    Sambar goes with Idli
  1. Sambar goes with Idli. That's why when we go to South Indian restaurants we order idli sambar. Given below is the idli recipe. See detailed step by step idli recipe. Makes 40 idlis.

    Ingredients for idli
    1/2 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
    1 tbsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
    2 cups par-boiled rice (ukda chawal)
    3 tbsp thick beaten rice (jada poha)
    salt to taste

    Method for idli
    1. Combine the urad dal and fenugreek seeds and enough water in a deep bowl and mix well. Cover with a lid and keep aside to soak for 4 hours.
    2. Combine the par-boiled rice and thick beaten rice and enough water in a deep bowl and mix well. Cover with a lid and keep aside to soak for 4 hours.
    3. Wash and drain the urad dal and fenugreek seeds and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste using approx. 1 cup of water. Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl and keep aside.
    4. Wash and drain the par-boiled rice and thick rice flakes and blend in a mixer to a slightly coarse paste using approx. 1½ cups of water. Add this mixture to the urad dal-fenugreek seeds mixture, add the salt and mix very well.
    5. Cover it with a lid and keep aside to ferment in a warm place for 12 hours.
    6. After fermentation, mix the batter well once again and pour spoonfuls of the batter into each of the greased idli moulds.
    7. Steam in an idli steamer for 10 to 12 minutes or till they are cooked.
    8. Once the idlis are cooked, cool them slightly. Dip a spoon in the water and using this spoon loosen the sides of idli and demould them. Keep aside.
    9. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more idlis.
    10. Serve hot with sambhar, coconut chutney and malgapodi.
         

Reviews

Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe
 on 26 Sep 21 04:07 AM
4

Tried it and it was good. Missed jaggery. saw it in the steps after I finished cooking. May need more water because it thickened in an hour.
Tarla Dalal
28 Sep 21 03:03 PM
   You can add jaggery for a restaurant style taste. Sambar is made with toovar dal which tends to thicken over time. So you will need to add water and adjust the consistency. Thanks for the feedback !!! Keep reviewing recipes and articles you loved.
Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe
 on 28 Apr 21 03:43 PM
5

Hi, For me Sambhar was a complicated dish but with the step by step instructions on your site, was able to prepare the dish properly. Thanks & Best wishes Arun
Tarla Dalal
29 Apr 21 03:19 PM
   Thanks so much for trying our recipe, it means a lot to us. Keep trying more recipes and sharing your feedback with us.
Sambar Recipe, South Indian Homemade Sambar Recipe
 on 09 Apr 20 06:44 PM
5

Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 25 Feb 18 07:24 AM
5

Jeneraly hotel sambhar is sweet and sour but here u didn''t add sweet flavour. So is south Indians don''t put sweet test in sambhar? Thanks.
Tarla Dalal
26 Feb 18 09:21 AM
   Yes generally there is no sweet added to the sambhar.. It gives an additionally taste..if little sweetness added.. like sugar or jaggery..
Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 23 Jan 18 07:48 PM
5

Hello ma''am,i tried this recipe..I loved it,my son & husband enjoyed it with dosa...super tasty.. thank you ma''am.
Tarla Dalal
24 Jan 18 04:32 PM
   Hi Shewta. We are delighted that the Sambar recipe came out well for you. Keep cooking.
Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 12 May 17 04:21 PM
5

Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 09 Dec 16 07:03 PM
5

I am an Americsn just learning about sambar. In my culture and American English, what is drum stick and bottle gourd? Is a Chicken leg what you mean by drumstick?
Tarla Dalal
10 Dec 16 10:37 AM
   Hi Rick, good to hear from you. We have a link against each ingredient in blue colour and that will lead you to a detailed glossary page. Long, thin pod, resembling a Drumstick. The fruit itself is called drumstick in India. Sometimes referred to as a bean, this long, rigid pod grows on a tree. Its hard, green outer covering is rigid enough to earn its common name of drumstick and used in curries. Let me know how the recipe came out. Also there is a link for the Video on how to make the Sambar below the recipes. Hope this helps.
Andy2016
08 Jun 20 01:08 AM
   It''s a pod of Moringa tree. The leaves are used in cooking as well.The pod is also known as sing.
Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 27 Oct 16 02:53 PM
5

Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 18 Oct 16 03:32 PM
5

Mam,the recipe was superbb,i tried it and it was yummm!
Tarla Dalal
19 Oct 16 09:39 AM
   Hi Aarti. We are delighted that the Sambar recipe came out well for you.
Sambhar, How To Make Sambar, South Indian Sambar Recipe
 on 06 Sep 16 03:26 PM
5

Mam this recipe is really very tasty...I tried it n all my family members loved it too.... thanks mam
Tarla Dalal
06 Sep 16 04:36 PM
   Well done Saniya.
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