tiffin sambar recipe, how to make hotel

style tiffin sambar recipe

By dassana amit on May 24th, 2014 12 Comments

tiffin sambar hotel style – one of the best tiffin sambar recipe i must say. the sambar was
damn good with the idlis. oh yes… idli sambar and vada sambar are all time favorite at
home. not to forget our love for dosa too.

well on this day, i just made idli and not dosa. the sambar recipe was shared by a
reader friend priya who writes to me often. she was gracious enough to share her
sambar recipe as well as this tiffin sambar.
this tiffin sambar recipe is adapted from revathy shanmugam’s recipe and priya was
kind enough to translate and send me the recipe. i did make some changes in the recipe
though.

at the first go, i tried and made the recipe and it was so good, that i did get requests for it
to make again. even my house help was so much in awe of the aroma of the sambar
masala, that she asked me for the recipe as well as the sambar masala powder.

the tiffin sambar is served with the tiffin snacks – idlis, mini idlis, dosa or medu vada.
do give this recipe a try next time you make idlis, dosa or medu vada.

lets start step by step hotel style tiffin sambar recipe:

1. i took half-half of tuvar dal/pigeon pea lentils and masoor dal/pink lentils. you can also
just take 1 cup of tuvar dal.

2. rinse the lentils well and then add them to the pressure cooker with 2.5 cups water and
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
3. pressure cook the lentils till they are soft and well cooked. they should have softened
well, so that they can be easily mashed. mash the lentils and keep aside.

4. in a small frying pan, heat oil and fry the whole spices for the sambar masala. first fry
the mustard till it crackles. then add the coriander, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black
pepper, chana dal (bengal gram), curry leaves and dry red chilies. stir and saute till the
spices become aromatic. keep aside to cool. your kitchen will smell fragrant when frying
these spices.

5. once the spices cool, grind them to a powder in a dry grinder or coffee grinder. keep
aside.

6. take 1 tbsp tamarind.

7. soak the tamarind in warm water for 25 to 30 mins.

8. later squeeze the tamarind pulp. strain and keep aside.

9. chop the veggies. for brinjals, you chop them and add them to water, so that no
discoloration occurs.

10. in a pot, heat oil first. add the mustard seeds and urad dal(husked and split black
lentil). let the mustard crackle and the urad dal turn into a maroonish color.
11. add quartered onions or shallots, curry leaves and asafoetida. stir and and saute for 2
minutes.

12. then add the veggies and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

13. add the tomatoes, salt and continue to saute for 6 to 7 minutes more.

14. pour water.

15. add the strained tamarind pulp and stir well.

16. simmer until the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away. if the vegetables are not
cooked, then continue to simmer they soften.
17. now add the ground sambar masala which we have already prepared. stir.

18. add the mashed lentils.

19. stir and simmer sambar for about 6 to 7 minutes. add hot water if required, depending
on the consistency you want. the sambar served in the hotels is usually thinner.

20. garnish with coriander leaves and serve the tiffin sambar hot with idli, medu vada or
dosa.
if you are looking for more sambar recipes then do check vegetable sambar, udipi
sambar, brinjal sambar, kerala sambar, red amaranth sambar and radish sambar.
hotel style tiffin sambar recipe below:
4.4 from 5 reviews
hotel style tiffin sambar recipe

Save Print
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
1 hour

tiffin sambar - hotel style tiffin sambar for idli, medu vada and dosa.
Author: dassana
Recipe type: side
Cuisine: south indian
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients (american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
for cooking the lentils:
 ½ cup tuvar dal
 ½ cup masoor dal
 ¼ tsp turmeric powder
 2.5 to 3 cups for water for pressure cooking

for sambar and tempering:

 9 to 10 small brinjals, 100 gms
 1 medium carrot
 1 medium potato
 1 large onion or 4 to 5 shallots, 90 to 100 gms
 3 medium to large tomatoes, 220 to 230 gms
 1 tbsp tamarind soaked in ¼ to ½ cup warm water
 1.5 cups water added later or add as required
 salt as required
 tempering:
 2 tbsp oil
  4 to 5 curry leaves
 ½ tsp asafoetida powder/hing - if you have a strong asafoetida, then add ¼ tsp
 ½ tsp mustard seeds/rai or sarson
 1 tsp urad dal/husked and split black lentil

for the sambar masala:

 5 byadagi/bedgi chilies or 4 to 5 dry red chilies (reduce depending upon the heat
in the chilies)
 11- 12 large curry leaves or 16-18 small curry leaves
 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds
 1 tbsp chana dal/split & husked bengal gram
 1 tsp cumin seeds
 ½ tsp mustard seeds
 ½ tsp whole black pepper
 ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
 2 tsp oil

Instructions
cooking the lentils:
1. rinse both the lentils well and then add them to the pressure cooker with 2.5 to 3
cups water and ¼ tsp turmeric powder.
2. pressure cook the lentils for 8 to 8 whistles or more, till they are soft and well
cooked. mash the lentils and keep aside.

preparing the sambar masala:

1. in a small frying pan, heat 2 tsp oil. first fry the mustard till they crackle. then add
the coriander, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, chana dal (bengal
gram), curry leaves and dry red chilies. stir and saute till the spices become
aromatic. keep aside to cool. don't burn the spices. saute the spices on a low
flame.
2. once the spices cool, grind them to a powder in a dry grinder or coffee grinder.
keep aside.

preparing the sambar:

1. soak the tamarind in warm water for 25 to 30 mins.
2. later squeeze the tamarind pulp. strain and keep aside.
3. chop all the vegetables. quarter the onions. peel and dice the carrots and potatoes.
4. dice the brinjals and add them in water to prevent discoloration. chop the
tomatoes in small pieces.
5. in a pot, heat oil first. add the mustard and urad dal. let the mustard crackle and
the urad dal turn into a maroonish color.
6. add quartered onions or shallots, curry leaves and asafoetida. stir and and saute
for 2 minutes.
7. then add the veggies and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
8. add the tomatoes, salt and continue to saute for 6 to 7 minutes more.
9. pour water. then add the strained tamarind pulp and stir well.
10. simmer until the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away. about 8 to 9 minutes.
11. if the vegetables are not cooked, then continue to simmer till they get cooked.
12. now add the ground sambar masala which we have already prepared. stir.
13. add the mashed lentils. stir and simmer sambar for about 6 to 7 minutes. add hot
water if required depending on the consistency you want. the sambar which is
served in the hotels is on the thinner side.
14. check the taste and add more salt if required.
 15. garnish with coriander leaves and serve the tiffin sambar hot with idli, medu vada
or dosa.

Notes
you can add your choice of vegetables.