Tiffin Sambar – Restaurant Style!

South Indian breakfasts are the best!! Idlis and Dosas always top the list. In all restaurants they serve two different sambar for rice and idly dosas. The one served with rice is a bit thinner in consistency and has more vegetables in it. But on the contrary, this TIFFIN SAMBAR served with Idlis & dosas are thicker with less vegetables and definitely differs in taste.

Serves 4

You Will Need:

1/2 Cup of Yellow Moong Dal, Soaked for 15 mins

1 Large Tomato, Finely Chopped

1 1/2 Cups of Shallots, Peeled

2 Green Chillies, Slit

Approx 2 Cups of Water (More if needed)

Some Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves

Lime Sized Tamarind Soaked 1/4 Cup of Water, mix well and strain the tamarind.

1 1/2 tbsp of Sambar Powder

A tbsp of Jaggery

Salt to Taste

Dry Roast & Grind:

1/2 Tbsp of Coriander Seeds

Tsp of Methi Seeds

1 1/2 Tbsp of Gram Dal

1 Tomato

1 Green Chilli

3 tbsp of Grated Coconut

For Tempering:

A tbsp of Oil

1/2 Tsp of Mustard Seeds

1/4 tsp of Urad Dal

A generous Pinch of Hing / Asafoetida

Few Curry Leaves

Couple of Broken Dried Red Chillies

The Cooking:

Dry roast all the ingredients (except the tomato) for grinding and let it cool. Then grind it to a smooth paste with the tomato adding little water.

I always make this in pressure cooker that way its much faster.

Drain the soaked dal and place in the cooker and add enough water to help cook the moong dal. 2 sounds from the cooker and turn off. Open when all the pressure is released and mash the dal well.

Add the shallots, tomato, green chillies, coriander, salt, sambar powder, tamarind water  and add water. This sambar is thicker in constistency, so you can add water according to how thick you want it to be. One sound from the cooker is enough, turn off and open when the pressure is all released.

Now, add the ground spice paste and jaggery. The spice paste may seem to clump up, if you have a wire whisk just use that to breakdown the lumps. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat for 5 – 7 mins till the raw flavours of the spicy paste are gone. Taste the sambar at this stage to check for spiciness and salt.

For tempering, heat a kadai/wok with oil and crackle mustard seeds, urad dal, dried red chillies, curry leaves and hing. Immediately pour in the sambar and stir to combine the tempering on low heat for few seconds.

Transfer to a bowl and serve hot with Idly / Dosa!

Important Pointers:

• Optionally you can add drumstick & brinjal.

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Happy Cooking!