| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | Red gram (soak for atleast 1/2 hour) + 2 teaspoon masoor dal (optional) |
| 10 onions | Sambar onions/shallots (soak in warm water to peel off the skin) |
| 15 pieces | White pumpkin (1/4 of a whole pumpkin approx) |
| 1 regular | Onion (finely chopped) |
| 3 medium size | Ripe tomatoes (crushed) |
| 1 long | Green chilli |
| 3 cloves | Garlic (lightly crushed) ( optional) |
| 3 teaspoons | Tamrind juice (or thick store bought pulp 1/4 tsp) |
| 1 teaspoon | Jaggery (powdered) |
| 2 teaspoons | Dry coconut flakes/ desicated / coparai thengai |
| 1 teaspoon | Red chilli powder |
| 2 teaspoons | Coriander/dhania powder |
| ¼ teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
| 2 teaspoons | Sambar powder (homemade or store bought) |
| 2 teaspoons | Salt (or to taste) |
| 1 teaspoon | Ghee |
| 2 tablespoons | Oil |
| 3/4 teaspoon | Mustard |
| 1/2 teaspoon | Cumin seeds |
| 1/4 teaspoon | Fenugreek seeds |
| 2 long | Dry red chilli |
| 1/2 teaspoon | Asafoetida powder |
| 7 leaves | Curry leaves |
| 1 teaspoon | Coriander leaves (chopped) |
| Homemade Sambar Powder Ingredients | |
| 5 long | Dry Red Chilies |
| 1 tablespoon | Coriander seeds |
| 1/2 teaspoon | Black peppercorns |
| 1/2 teaspoon | Cumin seeds |
| 1/4 teaspoon | Fenugreek seeds |
| Dry roast the above ingredients in a kadai till it releases nice aroma or lightly browned. Once done cool and grind to a coarse powder and keep it ready. | |
Lets see how to make this Hotel Sambar….
Wash and soak Toor/Red gram dhal (Thuvaram paruppu ) in water for atleast 1/2 hour. Adding a little masoor dal will give a nice flavor to the sambar but optional. I have added to my recipe, do try.
Then pressure cook it with little salt and turmeric powder. You atleast 3-4 whistles to cook them to a mushy consistency.
Once done, wait for the pressure to releases, open and mash it immediately with a flat spatula or blend well and keep aside.
White pumpkin or vellai poosanikkai is the secret to a tasty sweet tiffin sambar. Chop them to yield about 15 small pieces.
Pressure cook pumpkins separately with a dash of turmeric powder, little salt and water (Maximum 2 whistles) and set aside.
Cooked pumpkin will look like this, just keep them ready.
Items need for seasoning the sambar. You may either do it in the beginning or end depending your preference.
Now take a regular deep sauce pan , heat the oil and add mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida, let them splutter.
Ingredients needed for saute….
After the seasoning, add the chopped onion, sambar onions, green chilli and garlic and saute them for few minutes or until translucent.
Now add in the chopped tomatoes cook till they become soft.
Now add in red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for few minutes.
Add in the cooked white pumpkin along with the pumpkin juice.
Add in tamarind pulp.
Now add 2 cups of water.
Bring it to boil.
Cover and simmer for few minutes.
Once done add in jaggery.
Add in cooked dal.
Add in sambar powder. (Store bought MTR sambar powder has color and some cinnamon in it which gives nice flavor and reddish tinge to the sambar) (I’ve have used the above homemade sambar powder which is equally good but less color)
Finally add in the dry coconut flakes or grated coparai thengai. (if using store bought desicated coconut, lightly fry them in tawa and then add it the sambar) Bring it to a boil and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and curry leaves. Serve as a side for Idli, dosa or Vadai.
Notes
- Serves 4-5
- Adding a few teaspoons of masoor dal to toor dal will bring a nice flavor the sambar.
- This recipe definitely needs sambar onions and white pumpkin for the perfect flavor. Do not skip.
- Adding copara thengai or dry desiccated coconut is another highlight for the recipe, do not skip that part.
- Some store bought sambar powders include color and additional spices like cinnamon or cloves in it. You are welcome to use it or regular homemade powder will work too. If you wish to have more reddish sambar, then add in kashmir chili powder.
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77 Comments
This looks like a delicious recipe with accurate measurements however when you pressure cook the 1 cup of toor dal, how much water do you put in with it? 2 cups?
Thanks kathy,
Yes, 2 cups of water… little more wont hurt. I use a inner pot insert for my pressure cooker and that is all i use. If cooking directly in pressure pan may require a lot more to avoid sticking to the bottom. Hope this helps!
I replaced the white pumpkin with white raddish (since that is what I had available) and
Went ahead with the same recipe. It was one of the most flavourful sambhar I have enjoyed till date. Thank you
Thank you Rachana, so happy to hear? Red raddish or mixed veggies works fine too….just that tiffin sambar usually a one veggie dish in our home…& so used to pumpkin? try it next time when you get a chance???
Hi mam , I’m deeply impressed by your work and the blog which has all the precised information that every ametuer cook has 🙂 thanks alot for the yummy sambar recipe will try it out and let you know ? way to go mam 🙂 waiting for your video posts soon in Instagram too ?
Thank you Suganya, sooooo happy to hear. I am pretty sure you will rock cooking, go ahead try the sambar and you will make it often! Thanks for your lovely feedback and will try my best to post videos. Thanks!
Will it taste good without coconut flakes/desicated..
Sumaiya, its ok to skip if you don’t have have but it does make a difference in taste, so try to include the next time. Thanks
Mullai is the 1 cup measurement the US standard measuremnt cup – 240 ml ? (in india 1 cup generally indicates 200 ml) Thankyou !
Hi Mullai,
First of all “LOVE “your recipes..you are a great inspiration,I have been visiting your site for the last 2 or 3 yrs i think..no regrets at all..glad that i found you!!!Thk you so much!!…Btw,sambar turned out very well!! ; )
Hello Mullai
can we use yellow pumpkin instead of white..
Hi Mullai, Just a couple of more questions…. i live in toronto n couldn’t find sambar onions … can i just use the normal big onions instead?? would it taste good just with big onions n tomatoes?
Also i couldn’t find pumpkin.. but got long squash instead of pumpkin .. pls lemme know
Thats fine go ahead and make it.
Thanks fr quick response mullai.. It’s our anniversary and I am reading your recipe to decide n cook .. Ur site is great
Also I searched everywhere but not able to get pumpkin… Can I use cayote squash instead? Please lemme know.. Thanks
White pumpkin gives a special touch to this dish, its ok to substitute with other squash if you can’t find it. BTW, bhendi will not suit for this recipe. Thanks.
Can I add bhendi to this sambar? Will it taste good?
please post some conventional oven recipes. we made cake but it is not soft.
I’ve started to learn cooking indian food thanks to Mullai. NEVER before was I able to cook indian food because I never knew how much salt to add, or other spices that most recipes would list as “as needed”. Thank very much for all your wonderful recipes. Please continue posting recipes with accurate measurements as you always do.
Just too good mullai – thanks so much for posting this recipe. I love ur site..becos u give the perfect measurements (including the salt) of all the ingredients. I made this sambhar today and it was perfect..everyone liked it. Appreciate all the hard work and effort !!! Keep going…
Hi Mullai,
Tried the sambar.Truly amazing taste.It tasted just like hotel sambar back home.Whenever I had sambar in hotels I”ve wondered what is the secret ingredients which makes it tasty and liked by all.Now I know,THANKS to you.My family loved it.Your recipes make me innovative to try new recipes and since it becomes sucess makes me a confident cook.THANKS.
Mullai : just an urgent queryyy!
i m making this sambhar now, n i dont hv pumpkins, cn i use potatoes instead??
thnx 4 ur reply
Definitely its a big no, just make with onions.
Dear Mullai,
Perfect ingredients and easily repeatable procedure. Sambar turned out yumm… I am enjoying cooking more than ever, with the help of your site though 😉
Is it ok if I use my granma’s sambahr powder?? I use it for making sambhar and as a substitute for chilli powder cuz majority of it is made with dry red chillies.If not please suggest some good brand of sambhar powder.
And your chicken recepies are a big hit among our friends here.My husband makes it for potluck and we get endless compliments!!!
abi
June, store bought powder has cinnamon and gives good color. If that doesnt matter much for you then go with your grandmas powder. MTR sambar powder is my favorite , check the picture here….
http://www.spiceindiaonline.com/delectable_or_disappointment
Mullai can u say 1cup interms of grams. Is it 200gms?
Cant wait to try this. Going to skip the garlic due to religious reasons. Thank you for the detailed instructions.
Hi Mullai,
I tried this recipe yesterday and it came out extremely well…My husband liked it very much…Thanks a lot !
Hi Mullai,
Iam a new member and iam trying out your recipes everyweek, I tried your Sambar recipe and it was really excellent.
Thanks for sharing…
Keep posting more recipes 🙂
super
Tried this recipe today and came out hit. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work.
Hi Mullai
I tried this sambar today and it was great. My husband loved it very much.
I’m a regular visitor of your site and have tried many of your recipes, all of them have come out really good. Thx for sharing such wonderful recipes.
Good luck
Valli
Hi Mullai,
I tried you hotel sambhar recipe yday and it was awesome. Got good comments from my husband and kids. We had the leftover for lunch and it tasted much better. Thanks for the recipe.
The recipe is too good..thanks
Hello Mullai, tried this sambar and it came out very well. All the compliments to you. Thanks for sharing such great recipes – Raji
hai mullai,
thanks for the tasty recepie.
pls advice what other veg we can use in sambar.
Hi Mullai, i tried this sambaar yesterday, it came out very well as it is in the picture. Very easy and simple way of getting a great dish.
Can we have this ambhar with rice.Plz help
Ma’am, white pumpkin means Poosanikai ya ? The veggie which we used to cook during Ammavaasai…
Have a great day
Hello mullai mam,
i made hotel sambar today..came out great. I used radish insted of pumpkin. Thanks a lot for ur recipe. And i also like this website..Am new here..but am going to try out many dishes.
hi mullai…. i made this sambhar twice and u know wat was the comment tht i got??? sambhar pattayai kallappudu…. thnxxxxxxxxx a ton……
Same here…the compliments just went on and on.
Thanks for posting.
Hi Mullai!
Thankkkkkkk You so much for the recipe..It was so good
Nisha
HI Mullai
Just relished this sambar with Dosai . It was so YUMMY !!!!!!!!!
My friends who had come for lunch just loved it and they were asking for the recipe !
Thanx a lot for posting this
Pooja
Hey Mullai
How does a pumpkin look in the farmer’s market as my family as never done sambhar with pumpkin Plz help.
christy
sambar looks mouth watering
always y try to make sambar somewhat the other won’t turn to be good.
now i’m going to try your version
i hope this time i won’t fail.
can i use sambar vadagam finally ti finish the dish.( made by toor dal, bengal gram dal, black gram dal, asafoetida and sambar onion all together crushed and dried.
Christy, use of vadagam will change the taste. Vadagam proportion and measure varies with every family, its ok to add to your regular sambar preparations. But for this recipe, inorder to get the right taste pls avoid vadagam. Thanks.
mullai i loved this recipe very much
I tried this recipe. It turned out very good. Thanks for sharing Mullai!
As usual Kalakiteenga madam…
Sooper-ah dinner mudicha kaiyoda, msg panren….
Keep up the good work Madam 🙂
Hi Mullai:
Recipe looks awesome,Im gonna try it, but i have a doubt, Is the red chilli powder plain chilli powder? and when we add sambhar powder on top of it, willn’t it be too hot?
Pann, recipe includes jaggery and that should reduce the spice level. Adjust according to your taste.
Okey Sure, thank you so much for your quick reply
Hi Mullai , We tried your sambhar recipe and it tasted wonderful like a Hotel Sambhar . Thanks for the same . Regards , Salai
I’m done with radish Sambar. Came out delicious… Thanks, Mullai.The only left over I prefer the most is sambar…
I’m a sambar lover, Mullai. First time saw this recipe. Waiting to make this….
Hi Mullai, I made this sambar yesterday and my husband loved it. Didn't had pumpkin, so added red radish. It came out really nice. Thankyou. I usually don't cook a lot of varieties, but your recipes (especially the pictures) motivate me to try more varieties. You are an amazing cook!
hai MULLAI thanx
i gonna try today new sambhar,coz normally we made it with carrots,drumsticks,eggplants etc.
Hi Mullai I have doubts in this sambar
1. 1 teaspoon jaggery means is it sugar or manda vellam.
2.If I am using 2 cups of dal do i have to put 6 teaspoons chilli powder and 10 no’s tomato
3.Can I crush the tomatoes in mixie or shall i cut it.
4.Can I use shredded coconut instead of dry coconut flakes.
5.1 onion means is it a big one(bellary)
I am going to prepare this for a party.Please clear my doubts soon.
Hello Madam???
1. You can use mandai vellam about a grape size.
2. If your home made chili powder is too spicy, then reduce to 2 tsp for each cup. Since you are adding vellam and lots of tomato pulp, the spice level will be adjusted. Ofcourse everything has to be doubled for 2 cups.
3. Crushing is mixie works only with blanching, raw crushing with the skin on will taste sour. So better cut or crush with hands. Crushed canned tomatoes will give nice colour and sweetness to your dish. (option)
4. Dry coconut has got nice nutty flavour, if using fresh grated.. then toast it slighly on a tawa and then add.
5. Usually when nothing is specified, assume its a medium onion.. any variety is fine.
Thank you very much for ur Quick Response Mullai Mam.I will post the result after I made that.Thanks a lot
This came out nicely. Thanks, Mullai.
Jeya
Hi mullai,
Today i made this sambar for pongal. It tastes awesome just like saravana bhavan sambar.
Thanks
Deepu
Deepu, thanks so much… waiting for your next post.
hello,
pls cud u explain as in the last line of the procedure u mentioned ..at this add ghee.do we need to add ghee when it comes to boil but wud nt ghee float on the water..
i am going to try ur receipe now.
thanks
ashu
Hi Ashu Singh, Its added just to give rich taste and aroma to the dish. If you wish you can add while seasoning. This is not a must, but normally any sambar would be served with a dash of ghee, instead its being added at the final stage in this recipe.
I tried this recipe.it came out very well.we really enjoyed it.
thanks for sharing a hotel sambhar recipe.
Dear Mullai
please advise whether we can use some other veg like drum sticks or so instead of pumpkins
Sleshar,
Any squash is Ok, but if you can't find them, then try with small onions. If nothing works, go with drumstick, brinjal, carrot or green bell pepper. All these are added for regular sambar which goes well with rice. As far as I know, most hotel sambar are made with white pumpkins.
thanku mullai
ll try that
all your recipies are good
Mullai: Where can i find pumpkin at this time of the year in the US?
Hi there,
Pumpkin is available in some Indian grocery stores in the frozen asile. I get mine from a local farmers market.
Hi Mullai,
In the ingredients list you mentioned red gram dhal and in cooking method you have mentioned thoor dhal, which one did you use. Please clarify.
thanks,
kala
Hi Kala,
Red Gram is nothing but Toor dal.
Red gram in English, Thuvaram paruppu in Tamil, Arhar dal in Hindi, kandi pappu in Telugu, Thuvara in Malayalam, Togri Bele in Kannada. Hope this helps.
Thanks for clarifying that.
Really mouth watering sambhar recipe.
I liked it.
Thks for sharing.
Do share such amazing receipes in future toooooooooo.