Learn how to make quick and delicious one pot idli sambar in a pressure cooker with step-by-step photos and video! Made with toor dal, fresh vegetables and aromatic spices, this easy tiffin sambar is the perfect side dish for hot idli, crispy dosa and pongal.
Sambar is a staple side dish for idli, dosa, pongal and other tiffin varieties in South India. It’s difficult to resist its aromatic flavours. I like to add vegetables into it to enhance its nutritional value. In this blog, I will be showing you how to prepare one-pot sambar using Prestige Svachh Triply Outer Lid Pressure Cooker. This pressure cooker makes the cooking process hassle-free as it has an innovative Deep Lid that controls the spillage of starchy water.
This one-pot recipe is suitable for bachelors and working women as they can prepare it easily during the busy morning hours. You can prepare it within 10 minutes by adding simple ingredients like onions, tomato, carrots and beans. I have been using this Prestige Svachh stainless steel pressure cooker for the past two years. It has a Unique Deep Stainless Steel Lid designed to prevent froth from flowing down the pressure cooker.
This cooker also has a Revolutionary Pressure Indicator that acts as a locking device. It cannot be opened if the pressure inside the cooker is too high. On most days, I do pot-in-pot cooking by placing a small vessel with chopped vegetables over the dal to prepare both the dishes simultaneously. It’s both time and fuel saving for me.
Friends, do try this easy and simple one pot, pressure cooker sambar and enjoy with Idli, dosa, pongal and other tiffin varieties.
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot: For electric coil or glass-top stoves, keep the flame on medium to ensure steady heat without scorching the bottom. Stovetop pressure cookers need just 2 whistles on medium flame. If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook on High for 5 minutes and let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes before manual venting.
- Dal & Veggies: Store-bought toor dal brands available at Indian grocers (like Laxmi, Swad or Deep) cook quickly without pre-soaking, though a 15-minute soak ensures an even creamier texture. Fresh vegetables like French beans, carrots and shallots from local supermarkets hold their shape beautifully.
- Whole Tomato Tip: Adding the whole tomato uncut directly into the cooker prevents excessive acidity from slowing down dal cooking, ensuring the dal cooks buttery soft every time.
One Pot Idli Sambar Recipe | Pressure Cooker Idli Sambar Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml / 8.5 fl oz)
- ⅓ cup Toor dal approx. 70 g / 2.5 oz
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil approx. 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds approx. 2.5 g
- ¼ tsp Methi seeds / Fenugreek seeds approx. 1 g
- 1 sprig Curry leaves few fresh leaves
- ½ tsp Hing / Asafoetida approx. 2 g
- 1 Dry red chilli whole
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder approx. 1 g
- 1 tsp Sambar powder approx. 5 g / 0.18 oz
- ½ tsp Red chilli powder approx. 2.5 g
- ½ tsp Coriander powder approx. 2.5 g
- 1 Big onion sliced or chopped (approx. 100 g / 3.5 oz)
- 2 Tomatoes 1 chopped and 1 kept whole (approx. 150 g / 5.3 oz total)
- 1 Carrot chopped (approx. 50 g / 1.8 oz)
- 5 French beans cut into 1-inch pieces (approx. 30 g / 1 oz)
- 1 tsp Salt to taste (approx. 6 g)
- 1 ½ cups Water approx. 360 ml / 12 fl oz, adjust as needed
- ½ tsp Grated jaggery approx. 3 g
- 2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped, to garnish
- 1 tsp Pure ghee approx. 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz
Instructions
Method – Step by Step Pictures
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, methi seeds, curry leaves, red chilli and hing.
- Lower the flame completely and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and sambar powder. Mix quickly.
- Add chopped onion, vegetables and saute quickly. Add washed toor dal, salt, jaggery and required water. Lastly add one whole tomato. Do not cut the tomato because it will prevent the dal turning mushy.
- Pressure cook in low flame for one to two whistles. Open the lid after the steam is released. Mash the dal first and then the tomato. Mix everything together.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the quantity of spices as per your taste.
- You can use moong dal instead of toor dal.
- You can dilute 1 tsp of besan flour in 1/4 cup water and add to pressure cooker along with dal.
- Make sure you don’t burn the masala powders. It will spoil the taste of sambar. So keep the flame low or switch off the flame after tempering and then add the spice powders.
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Try this easy, healthy one pot idli sambar. You will love it.
