One of the most popular breakfast combinations in the South Indian states is Idli, Sambar, Vada, & Chutney.
However, everyone has a different preference on how they eat their Idli. Many enjoy it with Chutney alone. My husband is one of these people. He can’t eat Idli without a side of Coconut Chutney!
On the other hand, I need my Idli to be literally drowning in hot sambar. You shouldn’t even be able to see any Idli. It needs to be completely immersed. I have two little brothers who are the exact same way.
The restaurant owner at our favorite Idli joint in Bangalore (who also happens to be my Dad’s friend) just knows that we are Sambar fiends! They just give us the entire container of Sambar at this point. There is no point in giving us the tiny little bowl of Sambar that they usually give to everyone with Idli. The three of us will just keep asking for a refill. Hehe.
It’s no secret why we are this way. Our mom has spoiled us with delicious, hot bowls of unlimited sambar with our Idli since we were little kids. I have enjoyed many plates of hot Idli dunked in steaming sambar and savory coconut chutney prepared by my Mother. It’s just heavenly! But, it was about time that I learned how to make this myself!
My Mom makes a variety of different Sambar/Saaru to be eaten with rice, but this is the one specifically for Idli. However, there is nothing wrong with mixing some leftover Idli Sambar with rice..or eating it alone as a soup! Yum. 🙂
Idli Sambar
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian4
servings10
minutes20
minutes150
kcalA type of South Indian lentil soup that is specifically eaten with Idli (fluffy rice cakes)
Ingredients
- Sambar Masala Paste
2 tbsp dried/desiccated coconut
2 tbsp urad dal/ split matpe beans
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 inch piece chakke/cinnamon bark
2-3 cloves
1 drop oil
1 medium yellow onion (roughly chopped)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp turmeric
- Sambar
1/2 cup dry toor dal/ split pigeon peas
4 tbsp ghee total (Check out how to make homemade ghee here.)
2 medium yellow onions (thinly sliced)
1 cup pearl onions
2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp jaggery
Instructions
- Prep the Sambar Masala Paste
- Heat a small frying pan at a medium flame. Don’t add oil.
- Once the pan becomes hot, add 2 tbsp dried coconut. Roast till the dried coconut becomes slightly golden brown. Then, take off flame and transfer to a plate.
- Add 2 tbsp chana dal to the pan and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 2 tbsp urad dal and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 1 tbsp coriander ceeds and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 1 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 1 tsp black pepper and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 1 tsp menthya seeds/ Fenugreek seeds and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 1 tbsp sesame seeds and roast for a few seconds.
- Add 1 small piece of chakke/ cinnamon bark and 2-3 cloves. Roast for a few seconds.
- Finally, break 3 dried red chilis and add to the pan. Roast for a few more seconds.
- Take everything off flame and transfer to the plate that the coconut is cooling on. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer spices to a small blender/food processor and dry grind to a fine masala powder.
- Then, in the same small frying pan that you roasted the spices, add a drop of oil. Add 1 medium onion (roughly chopped) and roast till the onion becomes golden brown. Transfer to the blender.
- Also add about 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp turmeric to the blender. Grind to a wet masala paste. Keep aside.
- Make the Sambar
- Cook 1/2 cup of toor dal with 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker at a medium flame for 2 whistles.
- After 2 whistles, turn off the flame and release the pressure. Remove the lid.
- Keep the pressure cooker on the stove and heat it up at a medium flame once again.
- If the dal looks too thick, add more water. Let the toor dal come to a slow boil. Then, turn down the flame to a low flame and let it continue to simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee at a medium flame.
- Add 2 medium yellow onions (thinly sliced) and 1 cup pearl onions. Sauté till the onions are golden brown. Add the browned onions to the boiling toor dal. (Note: onions nicely browned in ghee is crucial for lingering Sambar!)
- In the same pan, add another 2 tbsp ghee.
- Add 2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped). Sauté for a few minutes. The tomatoes should become nice and mushy. Then, add to the boiling toor dal.
- Now, add the masala paste and mix well.
- Finally, add salt to taste.
- Let the sambar simmer for a few more minutes.
- Once the sambar is done cooking, add 1 tbsp of jaggery. Mix well and take off flame. Enjoy with hot Idlis! 🙂
Notes
- To expedite the process of making Idli & Sambar, you can make the Sambar Masala Powder the night before and grind to a paste in the morning when you are ready to make your Sambar.
- The proportion of the Sambar Masala is per 1 cup of toor dal used to make Sambar.
- As indicated above, I prefer to cook the toor dal and my sambar in a pressure cooker. This is the process that I learned from my Mom. This recipe could be adapted to an Instant Pot. But, I have not tried it.
- This Sambar tastes absolutely bomb with mini pearl onions. However, these are not always readily available near me. You can omit them and use only thinly sliced onions. But, you will not get the same flavor if you use only pearl onions.
- Ghee is crucial to adding a lingering taste to this Sambar.
- There are many versions of this recipe. This is my tried and true version that I learned from my Mother. I hope you love it!
- Vegan Option: Sambar can easily be made Vegan by using oil instead of ghee. However, I would suggest Vegan Butter at least. Even better, turn Vegan Butter into Vegan Ghee! It really adds a lingering taste to the Sambar.
Did you make this recipe?
I hope you all try this recipe out! I would love to see your own adventures in cooking! Please take a pic and share them with me on Instagram/Facebook @chaitrascreations.
