Idli Sambar

Idli sambar, Masala Dose, Poori Baaji have traditionally been the few common breakfast dishes among South Indians. Idli is considered to be one of the healthiest among all the breakfast dishes.

Today’s recipe is about the aromatic sambar that is served with Idli – Idli Sambar, the Coastal Karnataka style.

In this recipe, the sambar powder used is purely homemade. You may refer “Sambar Powder” for a quick recipe. You may even replace this sambar powder with any readymade sambar powder available in the retail stores/market.

The sambar recipe here is low on spice as I wanted to cater to all the age groups. If you want it to be spicier, you may increase the sambar powder input and reduce the jaggery used.

You may even refer “Idli” for a quick recipe on traditional south Indian style Idli.

Total Time : 40 minutes
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes

Servings : 4

Ingredients: 

Sambar Masala: 3 tsp. (Homemade Sambar masala recipe)

Jaggery: 1 lemon size

Grated coconut: 3/4th cup

Salt to taste

Diced potatoes: 1 cup

Diced onions: 1cup

Tur Dal / split pigeon peas: ½ cup

Tamarind: 1 lemon size

Method:

 

•        Soak tamarind in warm water for about 5 minutes . (you may use warm water if you have less time as it will soften the tamarind faster). Or you may opt to use tamarind paste instead

•        Cook potatoes and onions and keep aside

•        Wash and pressure cook tur dal / lentils for about 3 whistles or until the lentils are mushy soft

•        In a mixer, grind fresh grated coconut and the soaked tamarind together with little water to a smooth paste

•        To the above, add about 3 tbsp. of sambar masala and grind again and keep aside

•        Blend the lentils to a smooth paste. This gives good result in terms of the sambar consistency, flavour and taste. You may skip this step, if you don’t want to

•        In a deep bottomed pan, transfer the lentils paste, cooked vegetables ,  ground coconut samabar masala and jaggery. Mix well and cook for a few minutes in low flame

•        Add salt and mix well. Bring it to boil

•        Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Sambar is ready to serve !!!

 You may serve Sambar with idli separately or dip the Idlis in Sambar and serve the ‘Idli Sambar Dip’

Idli Sambar Dip is a very interesting variation in the way Idli and sambar are served. In a deep bottomed bowl idlis are kept and hot sambar is poured over it and served with a dollop of ghee.

Idli Sambar Stories :

After a fixed breakfast of either red-boiled rice or Upma over the week, weekend breakfasts always used to be special at home in our childhood days. One such weekend breakfast item is the Idli Sambar. Few of my friends and cousins had aversions for Idli, as they felt it is the so called ‘patients food’. But I always loved Idlis and with hot sambar, the taste reaches a different level altogether. I remember my mom packing Idlis in our tiffin box during our childhood days, with sugar and ghee for dip. Usually, when my husband returns from his business trips, he prefers to have some traditional Indian food. And Idli Sambar is something he would love to have, for all the three meals of the day. As this sambar isn’t very spicy, my daughter likes it too.