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Idli Sambar Recipe

Time and servings

Nutrition

Per servings.

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About

Unlike the traditional homemade sambar, which is often prepared as a side to rice, hotel-style idli sambar is lighter and more aromatic. It usually features a unique combination of toor dal, pumpkin, or ash gourd, along with a secret spice blend, simmered to perfection. The flavour is enhanced with a slightly sweet taste from jaggery and a splash of tamarind, giving it that signature balance of tang, spice, and warmth. What makes this version so irresistible is its consistency — it’s not too thick and not too watery, just right to soak into soft, fluffy idlis without overpowering them. The tempering (tadka) of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies, and asafoetida adds a fragrant, toasty finish that lingers on the palate. Idli Sambar makes Idli Meal Complete – Even if you have coconut chutney on the plate, the sambar is non-negotiable. It’s the soul of the idli breakfast, soaking the idlis in flavour and elevating the meal from simple to soul-satisfying. Many hotel-goers ask for extra servings of sambar — not because they need it for the idlis, but because the sambar itself is that delicious. It’s not uncommon to see people drinking it like soup once their idlis are done — a spicy, tangy, warming broth to end the meal on a comforting note. Fun Fact:
In many South Indian hotels, servers intuitively top up your sambar without being asked — a mark of good hospitality and a silent nod to its cult-like fan following. Some regulars even skip the idlis altogether and just sip on hot sambar with a spoon or straight from the bowl!

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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion (sliced)
  • 1 tomato (chopped)
  • 1 carrot (chopped)
  • 1 potato (chopped)
  • 6 beans (chopped)
  • 10 pieces drumsticks
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 2 chilli
  • few curry leaves
  • 4 cup water
  • ½ cup tamarind extract
  • 1 tsp jaggery
  • 2 cup cooked toor dal
  • 2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp sambar powder
  • 2 tbsp coriander (chopped)

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For tempering:

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • ½ tsp urad dal
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • pinch hing
  • few curry leaves

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Instructions

  1. Firstly, in a large vessel, take 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 onion and saute well.
  2. Add 1 tomato, 1 carrot, 1 potato, 6 beans, 10 pieces of drumsticks, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp turmeric, 2 chillies, and a few curry leaves. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
  3. Add 4 cups of water and boil for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are half-cooked.
  4. Now, add ½ cup tamarind extract and 1 tsp jaggery, and continue to boil until the vegetables are cooked well.
  5. Add 2 cups of cooked toor dal and 2 cups of water, and mix well, adjusting the consistency as needed.
  6. Add 2 tbsp sambar powder and 1 tsp salt. Mix and boil for 5 minutes.
  7. Now, prepare the tempering by heating 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp urad dal, 1 dried red chilli, a pinch of hing, and a few curry leaves.
  8. Splutter the tempering and pour over the sambar.
  9. Also, add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well.
  10. Finally, enjoy Idli Sambar with hot steamed idlis or dosas.

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Step-by-step

1
Firstly, in a large vessel, take 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 onion and saute well.
2
Add 1 tomato, 1 carrot, 1 potato, 6 beans, 10 pieces of drumsticks, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp turmeric, 2 chillies, and a few curry leaves. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
3
Add 4 cups of water and boil for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are half-cooked.
4
Now, add ½ cup tamarind extract and 1 tsp jaggery, and continue to boil until the vegetables are cooked well.
5
Add 2 cups of cooked toor dal and 2 cups of water, and mix well, adjusting the consistency as needed.
6
Add 2 tbsp sambar powder and 1 tsp salt. Mix and boil for 5 minutes.
7
Now, prepare the tempering by heating 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard, ½ tsp urad dal, 1 dried red chilli, a pinch of hing, and a few curry leaves.
8
Splutter the tempering and pour over the sambar. Also, add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well.
9
Finally, enjoy Idli Sambar with hot steamed idlis or dosas.Idli Sambar Recipe

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Video

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Tips

The recipe for Idli Sambar is straightforward and can be made by even a novice chef. Yet, some tips and suggestions to make it more effective:
  1. Dal Combination – The best dal to use for this sambar is toor dal or pigeon pea split dal. However, adding a small portion of moong dal with toor makes it more silky in texture, like hotels do.
  2. Vegetable Combination – Use a basic vegetable combination, such as potatoes, beans, ash gourd, carrots, onions, and pumpkin. Adding carrots and pumpkin helps to get a mild sweetness and depth to the sambar recipe.
  3. Sweet & Sour Flavour – The use of jaggery and sour tamarind is a must. Soak the tamarind and extract as much tamarind juice as possible. Also, boil this juice with salt, chilli and jaggery for a balanced and flavoured taste.
  4. Sambar Powder – Either use fresh, homemade sambar powder or roast store-bought powder in a bit of ghee for 30 seconds before adding it to the sambar. This releases the aroma and avoids a raw spice taste.
  5. Tempering & Topping – Adding tadka with hing topping to the tadka oil enhances the flavour and taste. Mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies, a pinch of hing (asafoetida) — this is what gives that irresistible aroma.

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Notes

  • Firstly, ensure that the vegetables are partially cooked before adding the tamarind; otherwise, there is a risk that the vegetables will not cook uniformly.
  • Additionally, if you don’t have access to sambar powder, you can use rasam powder instead.
  • Additionally, ensure that you whisk the dal until smooth to achieve a good texture for the sambar.
  • Finally, Idli Sambar Recipe tastes great when a variety of vegetables are added.
Original recipe by Hebbar’s Kitchen: https://hebbarskitchen.com/hotel-idli-sambar-recipe-tiffin-sambar/