Traditional Idli Sambar
Traditional dish · South Indian
A classic South Indian breakfast dish featuring steamed fermented rice and lentil cakes (idli) served with a flavorful lentil and vegetable stew (sambar).
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Ingredients
- Idli Rice3 cups
- Urad Dal (skinned black gram)1 cup
- Fenugreek seeds1 tsp
- Toor Dal (split pigeon peas)1/2 cup
- Chana Dal (split chickpeas)2 tbsp
- Tamarind1 lemon-sized ball
- Mixed vegetables (drumsticks, carrots, pumpkin, brinjal, onion, tomato)1.5 cups, chopped
- Sambar powder2-3 tbsp
- Turmeric powder1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida (Hing)1/4 tsp
- Mustard seeds1 tsp
- Cumin seeds1 tsp
- Dry red chilies2-3
- Curry leaves1 sprig
- Ghee or oil2 tbsp
- Saltto taste
- Wateras needed
- Coriander leaves (for garnish)for garnish
Steps
- 1
Wash and soak idli rice and urad dal with fenugreek seeds separately for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 2
Drain the water from urad dal and grind it into a smooth, fluffy batter. Drain the water from idli rice and grind it into a slightly coarse batter. Mix both batters with salt and ferment for 8-12 hours.
- 3
Wash and soak tamarind in warm water and extract pulp. Pressure cook toor dal and chana dal until soft.
- 4
In a pot, add chopped vegetables, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt, and water. Cook until vegetables are tender.
- 5
Add the cooked dal, tamarind pulp, and sambar powder to the vegetables. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, adding water to adjust consistency.
- 6
Prepare the tempering: Heat ghee or oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Let them splutter.
- 7
Pour the tempering over the sambar. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- 8
Grease idli molds and pour the fermented batter into them. Steam for 10-12 minutes until done.
- 9
Serve hot idlis with the prepared sambar.
