Tiffin sambar recipe with step by step photos. Hotel tiffin sambar to serve with idli, dosa, pongal and khicdi. This tiffin sambar recipe is the most loved side dish for idlis by the entire family and the most appreciated by my guests also.
This recipe has been handed down by generations which I’m gonna share it with you all. This sambar is a must especially on the Diwali morning’s breakfast / tiffin spread.
As I’m a diehard fan of Medhu vada, I love dunking them in this sambar and enjoying it. Hubby, being an ardent idli fan, whenever we go to any of the Saravan Bhavan Hotel outlet, 14 idlis or mini idlis dunked in sambar will always be his choice from their entire menu.
This sambar comes very close to it taste wise. Though I have already posted the idli sambar using Moong dal, this sambar is much more tastier than that as we add a special spice powder that is freshly prepared.
My grandmother and mother used to make this sambar with tur dal only and I was also happily following the same. But one day while I was ordering rice from the shop, I saw them packing various bags with different proportions of dals mixed together.
Upon asking they replied that they were for making sambar in hotels and that they use mixed dals for preparing sambar for rice and tiffin.
As they were packing in Kgs, I asked for the proportion and scaled it down to cups so that I could follow it at home. It tastes so close to the tiffin sambar served in hotels, so do give it a try and see it for yourself.
Points to Note while making Tiffin Sambar:
- Instead of roasted gram dal, you can use poppy seeds (khus-khus) also. Roast it with the coconut if doing so.
- You can use shallots (sambar onions) if you do not wish to use carrots.
- Yellow pumpkin can also be used instead of carrots.
- The consistency should be a bit thin unlike the consistency of the sambar that we serve with rice. The thin consistency of the sambar will allow the idlis to soak well.
- Roast the ingredients over low flame taking care not to burn them.
When serving with 14 idlis or mini idlis, place the idlis in a serving bowl, pour the sambar all over the idlis, let it sit for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle with finely chopped onions, coriander leaves and serve hot.
Tiffin sambar recipe with step by step photos:
1. Wash and soak 3 dals for 10 mins. Pressure cook dals along with turmeric powder in enough water for 3-4 whistles. I also keep the carrot in a small bowl along with the dals itself.
2. Soak the tamarind in warm water, extract pulp and keep it ready.
3. Mash the dal well and keep aside.
4. Heat a pan with ½ tsp oil. Add chana dal, fenugreek seeds, whole red chilies, coriander seeds and roast over low flame till the aroma arises. Make sure they do not change color. Transfer to a plate.
5. In the same pan add grated coconut and curry leaf and sauté over low flame till the aroma arises and the color change slightly. Transfer to the plate and let it cool completely.
6. Take all the roasted ingredients in a mixie jar. Add roasted gram dal (Pottukadalai / Dalia). Grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
7. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add asafetida, curry leaf, onion, slit green chilies, tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes or till the tomatoes turn mushy.
8. Add cooked carrots and mix well.
9. Add tamarind pulp, red chili powder, 1/2 cup water, salt and cook for 5 minutes over low flame till the raw smell disappears.
10. Add the mashed dal, mix well. Add more water if needed to adjust the consistency.
11. Sprinkle the ground spice powder and mix well. You can also mix the powder with water in a small bowl and add it to the sambar to avoid lumps.
12. Let the sambar cook for 2-3 minutes till all the flavors merge together. Tiffin sambar is ready.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot with idlis, dosas, medhu vada and pongal.
Tiffin sambar recipe details below:
- Toor Dal – ½ cup
- Masoor Dal – ⅛ cup
- Yellow Moong dal – ⅛ cup
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Tamarind – 1 gooseberry size
- Carrots – 1
- Onion – 1
- Tomato – 1
- Red chili powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
- Green chilies – 2
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Asafetida – ⅛ tsp
- Curry leaf – 1 sprig
- Coriander leaves – 3 stalks
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 2 tbsp
- Chana dal – 2 tbsp
- Roasted gram dal – 2 tsp (optional)
- Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
- Whole dry red chilies – 4
- Grated coconut – 3 tbsp
- Whole coriander seeds – 3 tsp
- Curry leaf – 1 sprig
- Oil – ½ tsp
- Wash and soak all the dals for 10 mins.
- Pressure cook dals along with turmeric powder in enough water for 3-4 whistles. I also keep the carrot in a small bowl along with the dals itself.
- Soak the tamarind in warm water, extract pulp and keep it ready.
- Mash the dal well and keep aside.
- Heat a pan with ½ tsp oil.
- Add chana dal, fenugreek seeds, whole red chilies, coriander seeds and roast over low flame till the aroma arises. Make sure they do not change color. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- In the same pan add grated coconut and curry leaf.
- Sauté over low flame till the aroma arises and the color change slightly. Transfer to the plate and let it cool completely.
- Take all the roasted ingredients in a mixie jar. Add roasted gram dal (Pottukadalai / Dalia). Grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
- Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add asafetida, curry leaf, onion, slit green chilies, tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes or till the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add cooked carrots and mix well.
- Add tamarind pulp, red chili powder, ½ cup water, salt and cook for 5 minutes over low flame till the raw smell disappears.
- Add the mashed dal, mix well. Add more water if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Sprinkle the ground spice powder and mix well. You can also mix the powder with water in a small bowl and add it to the sambar to avoid lumps.
- Let the sambar cook for 2-3 minutes till all the flavors merge together.
- Tiffin sambar is ready.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve piping hot with idlis, dosas, medhu vada and pongal.
HI Radhika,
I just tried this sambar and it came out really good. I used sliced coconut and I think I slightly over did it. Next time, I’ll reduce it or use grated coconut and measure it like you suggested. The dal combo is perfect and tastes very much like hotel sambar. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you very much for the feedback. I’m so glad you liked the sambar.
Hi Radhika,
Thanks for sharing. Even though we also make sambar almost twice a week, we never could make something tasting like hotel sambar. I am gng to use this to make it for a crowd of 50 tomorrow. So can you tell me what exactly is 1 cup measure? Also should i increase linearly when cooking for a large number of,people? Any tips?
Thanks in advance. It will be helpful if you can reply today.
Uma
woww… its looking gr8 yaar… after seeing ur recipe, i want to do it at my home.. thank uuu
Please mention when we have to masala powder?
Thank you for stopping by. I have mentioned it in Step No.7.
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe of Tiffin Sambar. I had been searching one for a long time. Your recipe tasted perfect. My husband and In-Laws loved it a lot and now it has become a staple Sunday breakfast for us with idli. - Shanthi.
Thank you for the feedback Shanthi. Glad to hear that your family liked it. Keep visiting.:)
I tried this recipe & it is awesome. It is the best sambar i have ever cooked & my whole family loved it. My son was literally drinking the sambar with dosa. I have been trying different recipes of sambar but it all was just ok but this one is amazing. Whoever visits this site please try this recipe. Truly good.
Awww…. This is the best compliment I got in recent times and thank you so much for the feedback. I’m so happy to hear that your son and family loved it.
Oh My, I could actually drink this sambar and I mean it literally. It tasted so darn good and my guests were asking me for the recipe. The best sambar I had ever made that kept true to its word - Hotel tiffin sambar. love all your recipes. Muah… for getting me good compliments from my guests.
SO glad that you and the guests liked the sambar and thank you for the feedback as well. Keep visiting.
Awesome..awesome..awesome..that’s it..no more words!!! Tried it out today and needless to say it’s a huge hit in the family. So was your savoury semolina cake. Thanks for the wonderful posts!!!
Awesome..awesome..awesome..that’s it..no more words!!! Tried it out today and needless to say it was a huge hit in the family! So was your savoury semolina cake! Thanks for the wonderful recipes!!!
Thank you so much for the feedback Pooja. I’m so happy to hear that you loved the recipes.
I just tried this and it came out very nice. Was worried a bit if it would be bitter with so much of fenugreek seeds and curry leaves going on, but it turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing
I just tried it and it came out very nice. Was a little worried if it would turn out bitter with so much of fenugreek and curry leaves going on, but it turned out perfect to the T. Thanks for sharing.
Happy to hear that you liked it Ritha and thanks for coming back to share your feedback as well. Keep visiting
I made it for about 30 people.. Guess what.. It was liked by one and all… It tasted heavenly.. In fact i made some extra powder that day and keep using it in sabzi’s also. It acts as my backup dhaniya powder. Thanks Radhika, for the excellent recipe.
I made it for about 30 people.. Guess what.. It was liked by one and all… It tasted heavenly.. In fact i made some extra powder that day and keep using it in sabzi’s also. It acts as my backup dhaniya powder. Thanks Radhika, for the excellent recipe.
Thank you very much for the feedback Uma. I’ve never made it for that many people at one go though. So happy to hear that your guests liked it.
Wow!!! I’ve been searching for the hotel sambar receipe all these days… I think I’ve found it. Gona try today along with my rava dosa… Thank u Radhika.
Awesome Sambar ! tried it yesterday with Dosai. My god! It just took me back to Chennai restaurant dosai and sambar taste. Thank u so much for sharing this recipe.
Thank you very much for the feedback and glad to hear that you liked it.