This weeknight sambar recipe is simple, it's made with toor and channa dal, fridge veggies and ready sambar powder, making it a complete winner on weeknights to pair with idli, dosas or vadas. Tastes like tiffin sambar and is ready in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot without mushy veggies.
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South Indian food is my absolute weakness. I used to make really good sambar (atleast I thought so) until I was floored by my friends moms sambar. so before she left for India, I made sure I learn how to level up my sambar to make it taste authentic and top notch.
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card for quantities.
- Lentils make the base of the sambar, toor dal is an essential
- Onions and tomatoes help thicken the base, however for a more traditional flavor you can use shallots.
- Vegetables, you can use any from your refrigerator and as many or as little as you like. Traditionally veggies like carrots, drumsticks, dosaki, pumpkin, raddish and brinjal are added to the sambar. I am keeping mine simple and just adding dosaki and carrots.
- Tamarind is an essential for that slightly tangy taste and color. I prefer soaking tamarind in water and using that pulp, instead of the store bought concentrate.
- Sambar powder, this recipes calls for store bought sambar powder to make life convenient.
- Jaggery to round off the tanginess.
- Coconut is the secret ingredient to level up the sambar. It acts as a thickener, and balances the spicy and tangy flavors.
How to make Instant Pot Sambar Instructions
- Prep: Wash and rinse toor dal and chana dal. Soak for 10 minutes while prepping other ingredients. Quarter the onions and tomatoes.
- Add ingredients: Drain the water and add dals, onions, tomatoes, coriander powder, asafoetida, and water to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
- Pressure Cook: Cook for 8 minutes and do a quick pressure release.
- Blend: Use a hand blender to make the mixture smooth.
- Add remaining Ingredients: Add chopped vegetables, coconut, cilantro, curry leaves, sambar masala, jaggery, tamarind pulp, and water.
- Simmer: Turn on sauté mode and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft.
- Adjust: Taste and adjust seasoning or consistency as needed.
- Tadka: Heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds, and whole red chilies. Once they sizzle, pour the tadka over the sambar and mix well.
- Serve it with our soft and spongy idlis, masala dosa, rava dosa, along with Anna style coconut chutney or simply rice.
Anvita's Top Tips
- Don't skip blending the dal for that smooth texture.
- Give tamarind and sambar powder a few minutes to boil with the vegetables before adding the dal so the flavor settles
Common mistakes to avoid while making Sambar
| Common mistake | Result | How to fix it |
| Undercooking the dal | Grainy texture and split dal in broth | Pressure cook with enough water until soft, then mash before adding |
| Skipping tamarind, hing & curry leaves | Flat taste | Add the right proportion and adjust the taste to your liking |
| Overcooking vegetables | Veggies turn mushy and lose texture | Stop cooking when they’re just tender; remember it thickens as it rests |
| Not simmering the sambar enough | Flat taste | Simmering will allow the flavor to settle |
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sambar
Weeknight One Pot Sambar in 30 minutes
This weeknight sambar is made with simple toor and channa dal, fridge veggies and ready sambar powder, making it a complete winner on weeknights to pair with idli, dosas or vadas. Tastes like tiffin sambar and is ready in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot without mushy veggies.
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Servings:
Calories:
290kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup toor dal rinsed & soaked for 10 mins
- ¼ cup channa dal rinsed & soaked for 10 mins
- 2 tomatoes quatered
- ½ onion quartered
- 1 teaspoon dhaniya powder
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 4 cups water used in two halves
- 2 cups vegetables combination of carrots, dosaki, brinjal, drumsticks, raddish, whatever you want to add
- ¼ cup coconut fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 3 tablespoon sambar masala
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ cup tamarind pulp or amchur to taste
- 1 tablespoon jaggery
Tempering
- 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 3 whole dry red chillies
Instructions
- Prep: Wash and rinse toor dal and chana dal. Soak for 10 minutes while prepping other ingredients. Quarter the onions and tomatoes.
- Add ingredients: Drain the water and add dals, onions, tomatoes, coriander powder, asafoetida, and half the water to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
- Pressure Cook: Cook for 8 minutes and do a quick pressure release.
- Blend: Use a hand blender to make the mixture smooth.
- Add remaining Ingredients: Add chopped vegetables, coconut, cilantro, curry leaves, sambar masala, jaggery, tamarind pulp, and remaining water.
- Simmer: Turn on sauté mode and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft.
- Adjust: Taste and adjust seasoning or consistency as needed.
- Tadka: Heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds, and whole red chilies. Once they sizzle, pour the tadka over the sambar and mix well.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 659mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5242IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
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