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April 9, 2012

Hotel Idli Sambar Recipe | Tamil nadu Tiffin Sambar - Side Dish For Idli Dosa Pongal

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Hotel sambar

I think most of you would have tried varieties of Tamil nadu hotel style idli sambar recipes at home. Even I too posted an idli sambar with toor dal long time back which learnt from my MIL. It tastes similar to the hotel ones. But I should say this is the exact recipe for restaurant style sambar. I got this recipe from Aval vikatan’s supplementary.

Yesterday I tried this for my guests. My guests liked it so much, I was showered with compliments and they were asking for the recipe. Thanks to Mrs. Revathy shanmugam for this yummy hotel kind of recipe. It tastes mildly tangy with more of dal, less spicy and you can even drink this sambar.
 
You can use this as basic Tiffin sambar recipe for making sambar vada,Mini idli sambar etc. It’s a great side dish for Idli, dosa recipes. My friend Jayarani gave me a tip recently. She told me to add pumpkin instead of jaggery and she also suggested me to use drumstick.

 Yes, as she told adding pumpkin gave a mild sweetness and drumstick gave a nice flavour. I have updated the recipe adding them. Do try this, I am sure you’ll get the exact taste as in most of the restaurants. It goes well with idli , dosa , Venpongal and vada

Check out this recipe for another version of hotel sambar if interested.

Check out my MINI IDLI SAMBAR RECIPE too.



Hotel idli sambar

Hotel Idli Sambar Recipe


Hotel Idli Sambar Recipe Hotel Idli Sambar Recipe - Restaurant style Tiffin Sambar Recipe
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Side dish
Serves: Serves 4
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Toor dal OR Moong dal – 1/3 cup
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Cooking Oil – A drop
  • Pumpkin – 4-6 pieces ( cube sized)
  • Drumstick – 1 no ( Chop into small pieces)
  • Vegetables ( Carrot & potato) – If needed.
  • Tamarind – 2 seeds (approx. small gooseberry size)
To roast and grind
  • Cooking Oil - 1 tsp
  • Dhania / Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
  • Chana dal – 2 tbsp
  • Red chillies – 6 nos
  • Methi seeds – 1/2 tsp
To temper & saute
  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • Urad dal –1tsp
  • Jeera / cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Red chillies – 2 nos (pinched)
  • Curry leaves – a few
  • Asafetida/Hing – few pinches
  • Small onion - a cup
  • Tomato – 1- 2 nos
  • Sambar powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander leaves – to garnish
  • Jaggery – 1 tsp ( Add if you don’t use pumpkin)
  • Ghee – 1 tbsp
HOW TO MAKE HOTEL IDLI SAMBAR - METHOD
  • Soak tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes and take the extract. Set aside.
  • Peel the onions and chop the tomatoes. Pressure cook the dals with turmeric powder, pumpkin pieces and a drop of oil. Mash and set aside. Cook drumstick and other vegetables separately and set aside
  • In a kadai roast all the above said ingredients and make it a fine powder.
 

  • In the same kadai , add oil and temper all the items in the same order. Now add the sambar onions and saute till transparent. Then add the tomatoes ( crush it with your hands before adding , this makes the sauting process faster ) and required salt. Saute till tomatoes turn mushy and juicy. Add the tamarind extract , raw pinched curry leaves , hing, sambar powder and turmeric powder.
  • Allow to boil till the onions get cooked. Now add the mashed dal,cooked vegetables ( if using) and the ground powder. Mix well so that there are no lumps.
  • Boil for few minutes. It will thicken. Add more water if necessary. Switch off the flame add garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Last but not the least, don’t forget to add a tbsp of ghee & Cover it with a lid until you serve.. 
Enjoy with idli, dosa and pongal!
Note
  • U can use the combination of moong dal and toor dal in equal quantities and make this sambar.
  • Adding pumpkin gives a sweetness to the sambar. So no need to add jaggery or sugar. If you don’t add pumpkin use either jaggery or sugar while sambar boils.
  • Make this sambar atleast 3-4 hours before serving because all the tastes blends well. U can reheat it while serving.
  • For variations, you can add a tbsp of grated coconut while roasting the powder ingredients and powder them.
  • Tastes great the next day with full aroma !!

ENJOY THIS SAMBAR WITH SOFT IDLIES.CRISPY DOSA & VEN PONGAL !!



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53 comments :

Vimitha Durai said...

Love this yummy combination anytime... Looks so perfect

Recipe world said...

Sambar looks delicious n aromatic..nice recipe dear :)

Sumi said...

I make it the same way to. looks delicious.I can smell the flavour here

Lifewithspices said...

aromatic n yummy combo!!

Indian Khana said...

Yum ...looks so gud and those idly are looking so soft ...

Suparna said...

wow chitra,
sambar looks tasty and comforting....
yummm with idlis..
tc

Jeyashris Kitchen said...

Tempting and inviting sambar, loved ur version

Unknown said...

Idli sambar looks yummy..

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Shobha said...

I have always made sambar with only toor dal...will try this one..looks just like the hotel sambar.

lubnakarim06 said...

I am a huge fan of tiffin samabhar...love to try this version...looks yum....

Prema said...

Very nice recipe chitra,luks perfect with idly...

Gayathri NG said...

Simply tempting n aromatic sambar...

PrathibhaSreejith said...

Very aromatic and yummy Sambhar recipe. best combo ever :-)

Unknown said...

Looks so flavourful and aromatic..yummy sambar

Suja Manoj said...

Aromatic and tasty sambar,thanks for sharing.

Priya Suresh said...

I can have two more idlies with this sambar, my fav..

Vikis Kitchen said...

Thanks for the recipe dear. That idly sambar click makes me drool:)

Laavanya said...

That looks so delicious... i would love mini idlis dunked in this.

Jayanthy Kumaran said...

my tummy is rumbling now...:PP

Tasty Appetite

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

i love sambar, my favorite comfort food...
yummy!

Amina Creations said...

sambar looks delicious... will try this version soon..

turmericnspice said...

idli sambhar is like comfort food !!! bliss :)

notyet100 said...

Sambhar looks yum,..:)

Gayathri NG said...

Dleicious sambar...

Parita said...

seriously looks so so delicious!

Recipeswap said...

Perfect. Looks exactly like the holet sambar.

Raks said...

I too make the same way,love it a lot with idly! :)

www.mahaslovelyhome.com said...

Wow delicious..can just imagine the taste..yummy.
maha

Kalyani said...

Perfect combination ... Delicious !!!

Santosh Bangar said...

my fav like in any form love ur recipe

Anonymous said...

hi chitra,
i tried this sambar last week and it came out really well. Tasted exactly like hotel sambar. My hubby liked it very much. We had it with pongal, dosa and vada. Tasted even better the second day. thanks for the post.

I would appreciate if u add a seperate section for "Festival Sweets" (hindu festivals and the sweets - naivedyam we make for it). It will help the people living in abroad like me a lot.

Thanks,
Radhu.

Chitra said...

Thanks radhu . I am glad u all liked it. I'll sure start a section for sweets..Thanks again :)

Meenu said...

Yummy Sambar.

Unknown said...

Hi,I tried sambhar today and got appreciated for that thanks for the recipe ,

Unknown said...

HI, I tried this sambar today and I got appreciated by my husband thanks for the recipe chitragaru

Thanks
Vijj

Chitra said...

Thanks a lot for the feedback ,i am glad u all liked it :)

சாரதா சமையல் said...

Idli sambar seymurai super.

Unknown said...

Chitra love u ragi idli came out very soft n prepared hotel style sambar which u had posted,my hubby n kids were very happy tnx a lot.

Chitra said...

Thanks a ton Swathi for trying and the feedback:)

Saravana said...

We prepared this sambar today and it was absolutely delicious. We totally loved it. It tasted great with dosa. We felt that the taste was excellent than the restaurant ones. We will make this often for sure. Thank you so much sharing this recipe and for your help in my queries to try this recipe.

Chitra said...

Thank u so much Saravana.I am glad u liked my recipes :)

Unknown said...

thnk u chitra for this wonderful recipe..i jus loved it

Unknown said...

thnak u chitra for this wonderful recipe..we loved it..better than restaurant

Chitra said...

Thank u so much Neha Srivatasa :)

Agila said...

Hi Chitra I had tried this Sambar in this week....we liked it very much...Thanks for this recipe....

Chitra said...

Happy to know.Thank u so much :)

mani said...

Hi Chitra.. I tried the Sambar and pongal receipe.. it came out superb.. I prepared the same dish earlier,but this is best.. Thanks for this wonderful receipe..My wife is very much impressed ����

mani said...

Hi Chitra.. I had tried the pongal and sambar recipe.. It came out really superb.. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.. My wife liked it very much. Keep up the good work 😊

Chitra said...

Glad to see your positive feedback :) Thank you so much !

Vanithasiva said...

I tried this sambar today. Came out very well. My son told "super ma" thanks for recipe.

Vanithasiva said...

I tried this sambar today. Came out very well. My son told "super ma" thanks for recipe.

Chitra said...

Happy to know that. Thank you so much 😍

Chitra said...

Thanks a lot for your feedback :)