This delicious hotel style sambar goes well with Idli & dosas. Idli, vada & sambar is all time favourite breakfast at home. After trying many recipes on internet, I was finally able to get this recipe right.

Hotel style sambar for Idli

Servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Toor Dal
• ¼ cup Moong dal
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
• Small lemon size Tamarind
• 1 Onion or ½ cup Shallots
• 1 Tomato
• 1½ tbsp Jaggery
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• A pinch of Hing/asafoetida
• Few Curry leaves
• Handful Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

For Masala Paste

• 1½ tsp Oil
• 2 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Channa dal
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• ¼ tsp Whole Black Pepper
• ¾ tsp Jeera/Cumin
• ¼ tsp Fenugreek/Methi seeds
• ¼ cup Grated coconut
• 6 Badige Menasinakai/Low spiced red chillies
• 1 Onion
• 1 Tomato

Servings Ingredients ¼ cup Toor Dal ¼ cup Moong dal ¼ tsp Turmeric powder Small lemon size Tamarind 1 Onion or ½ cup Shallots 1 Tomato 1½ tbsp Jaggery 2 tsp Oil 1 tsp Mustard seeds A pinch of Hing/asafoetida Few Curry leaves Handful Coriander leaves (finely chopped) Salt to taste Water as required For Masala Paste 1½ tsp Oil 2 tsp Coriander seeds 1 tsp Channa dal 1 tsp Urad dal ¼ tsp Whole Black Pepper ¾ tsp Jeera/Cumin ¼ tsp Fenugreek/Methi seeds ¼ cup Grated coconut 6 Badige Menasinakai/Low spiced red chillies 1 Onion 1 Tomato

Instructions

Prep

1. Chop one Onion & Tomato Roughly, keep it aside (this is for masala paste)
2. Soak tamarind in hot water & extract thick juice & discard the pulp.
3. Pressure cook Toor & Moong dal along with turmeric for 3 whistles or until soft.
4. Cut one onion & tomato finely. If using shallots remove the skin, clean & keep them aside.

Method - Masala Paste

1. Heat ½ tsp oil in a pan & fry coriander seeds, channa dal, urad dal, jeera, methi seeds, pepper pods & low spiced red chillies until dal turns golden brown. Transfer this to a blending jar.
2. In same pan, add 1 tsp oil. Sauté roughly chopped onion until translucent.
3. Then add roughly chopped tomatoes & sauté until soft. Let this onion tomato mixture comes down to room temperature. Once sautéed onion tomato mixture cools down, add this to blending jar.
4. Grind roasted spices, onion tomato mixture & coconut to smooth paste. Set aside.

Method - Sambar

1. Heat 2 tsp oil in Kadai, add mustard, once they splutter, add curry leaves & hing. Fry for few seconds.
2. Add chopped onions or shallots, sauté until onion is translucent.
3. Then add chopped tomatoes and sauté until tomatoes become soft.
4. Add masala paste & tamarind extract. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until it start releasing the oil.
5. Now add cooked dal & needed water, mix well & bring it to boil.
6. Add salt per taste & jaggery, add water to bring the sambar to desired consistency.
7. Once it comes to boil, simmer & cook for 5-7 minutes.
8. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with idli, dose or pongal.