Arachuvitta Sambar

Arachuvitta Sambar is a traditional South Indian style sambar made using toor dal along with vegetables, freshly roast and grind spices and tempering items. Arachuvitta Sambar is very aromatic and flavorful which goes well with rice and can be served as side dish for idli and dosa too. Learn to make Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe with step by step pictures and video.

Arachuvitta Sambar is a very popular flavorful side dish made for rice, idli, dosa etc. Sambar is a staple in South Indian homes prepared at least once a week. I make sambar for lunch to pair it with rice and use the leftovers for dinner with idli or dosa.

About Arachuvitta Sambar

‘Arachuvitta’ in tamil means ground and ‘Sambar’ is lentils curry with vegetables. In this sambar we roast and grind spices fresh and add it and that is why it is called Arachuvitta Sambar. Arachuvitta Sambar is best to pair up with for rice, idli, dosa etc.

Arachuvitta Sambar is most popular in Tamil Brahmin homes. I love the flavor of freshly roast and grind spices which takes this sambar to a whole new level. My kids like sambar but this arachuvitta sambar is their favorite, they call it as hotel sambar. Yes it tastes comes close to hotel sambar so do try and enjoy!

This sambar recipe may look elaborate but when you start making it you will find the ease. And I am sure you will find it worth to try after you taste it. The extra step from usual sambar is to roast and grind spices other that that is is almost the same.

Arachuvitta Sambar Video

Similar Recipes

• Tiffin Sambar
• Drumstick Sambar
• Idli Sambar
• Sambar Powder
• Idli, dosa
• Ven pongal

Arachuvitta Sambar Ingredients

• Toor dal – Toor dal is most commonly used for sambar.
• Onion, Tomato – Small onion adds taste to sambar so I always use that. Tomato is roughly chopped and sauteed well until raw smell leaves.
• Vegetables – You can use any vegetable of your choice. I have used only carrot here, You can either use brinjal or drumstick or a combination of these.
• Tamarind – Extract tamarind water / pulp by soaking dry tamarind in hot water.
• Roast and grind spices – Coriander seeds, chana dal, coconut, red chilies, raw rice are roasted well and grind to a coarse mixture.
• Tempering – A tempering is made with oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, red chilies and hing.
• Turmeric powder – Turmeric powder is added while cooking dal and vegetables.
• Coriander leaves – Coriander leaves is added for garnish, adds great flavor so sambar so don’t miss it.

How to make Arachuvitta Sambar Step by Step

Cooking dal

1.Take 3/4 cup toor dal, rinse it well and add to pressure cooker / instant pot. Detailed step by step post for cooking dal in instant pot is given here.

2.Add salt, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 cups water to it. Give a quick mix. Close with lid, put the whistle on.

3.Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame. If you keep in high flame it splutters a lot so its best to cook in low medium flame itself.

4.Let pressure release by itself then mash dal well with a ladle. Set aside.

Roasting and grinding

5.To a kadai heat oil – then add 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon chana dal, 5 red chilies,1 teaspoon raw rice and dry roast it well.

6.Add 1/4 cup coconut, roast for a minute and switch off.

7.Transfer to a bowl and cool down completely.

8.Add little water and grind it to a semi fine paste, set aside.

Tempering

9.To a kadai heat 1 tablespoon oil – add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 2 red chilies, few curry leaves let it splutter. Then add 1/4 teaspoon hing, saute for few seconds.

Cooking vegetables

10.Add around 15 small onion sauté until it turns transparent.

11.Add 1 tomato roughly chopped along with 1 carrot sliced. Saute until it shrinks and raw smell leaves.

12.Add required salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Add 2 cups water and let it come to a boil.

13.Cook covered until carrot turn soft.

14.Check by pressing if it is soft then done else cook for few more minutes.

Combining dal, masala paste

15.Add cooked toor dal along with masala paste along with rinsed water that we prepared. Strain and add tamarind extract.

17.Mix it well. Adjust salt at this stage.

Boiling

18.Let it boil well for 10-12 minutes.

19.If it is too thick adjust with water, add 1 teaspoon jaggery powder.

Garnishing

20.Add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves and switch off. Mix it well.

Serve hot with rice.

Expert Tips

• Adding vegetable is purely optional, you can make it without any vegetable too. Just with small onion and tomato also this sambar tastes great.
• You can replace toor dal with half and half of toor dal with moong dal too. This sambar tastes great for tiffin items like idli, dosa, pongal etc.
• You can replace fresh coconut with desiccated coconut too.
• As it uses freshly ground spices, the sambar will be flavorful even without any vegetable.
• Do not worry if your spice powder is not very fine. I usually make is slightly coarse only but the sambar comes out well.

Serving and Storage

Arachuvitta Sambar can be served with rice, idli, dosa etc. This sambar keeps well in fridge for 2 days, reheat and serve it.

FAQS

1.What is the difference between regular sambar and arachuvitta sambar?

The main difference between both is in arachuvitta sambar we freshly roast, grind spices and add it whereas in regular sambar we add premade sambar powder.

2.How I make sambar thin if it becomes too thick?

You can adjust by adding little hot water and boil it for few minutes. This way it will become thin, adjust water quantity according to the consistency you need.

3.Can I use readymade tamarind paste?

Yes you can use readymade tamarind paste, paste is thick so add just 1 tablespoon. Taste check and if need be then add little more.

If you have any more questions about this Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .

Tried this Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.

📖 Recipe Card

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe

Arachuvitta Sambar is a traditional South Indian style sambar made using toor dal along with vegetables, freshly roast and grind spices and tempering items. Arachuvitta Sambar is very aromatic and flavorful which goes well with rice and can be served as side dish for idli and dosa too. Learn to make Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe with step by step pictures and video.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Servings2 people

AuthorSharmilee J

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon tamarind
• 15 small onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 carrot
• 1 heaped teaspoon jaggery powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• To cook dal
• 3/4 cup toor dal
• salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

To roast and grind

• 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 5 red chilies
• 1 teaspoon raw rice
• 1/4 cup coconut

To temper

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 red chilies
• few curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon hing

Instructions

• Take 3/4 cup toor dal, rinse it well and add to pressure cooker / instant pot.
• Add salt, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 cups water to it. Give a quick mix. Close with lid, put the whistle on.
• Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame. If you keep in high flame it splutters a lot so its best to cook in low medium flame itself.
• Let pressure release by itself then mash dal well with a ladle. Set aside.
• To a kadai heat oil – then add 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon chana dal, 5 red chilies,1 teaspoon raw rice and dry roast it well.
• Add 1/4 cup coconut, roast for a minute and switch off.
• Transfer to a bowl and cool down completely.
• Add little water and grind it to a semi fine paste, set aside.
• To a kadai heat 1 tablespoon oil – add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 2 red chilies, few curry leaves let it splutter. Then add 1/4 teaspoon hing, saute for few seconds.
• Add around 15 small onion sauté until it turns transparent.
• Add 1 tomato roughly chopped along with 1 carrot sliced. Saute until it shrinks and raw smell leaves.
• Add required salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Add 2 cups water and let it come to a boil.
• Cook covered until carrot turn soft.
• Check by pressing if it is soft then done else cook for few more minutes.
• Add cooked toor dal along with masala paste along with rinsed water that we prepared. Strain and add tamarind extract.
• Mix it well. Adjust salt at this stage.
• Let it boil well for 10-12 minutes.
• If it is too thick adjust with water, add 1 teaspoon jaggery powder.
• Add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves and switch off. Mix it well.
• Serve hot with rice.

Video

Notes

• Adding vegetable is purely optional, you can make it without any vegetable too. Just with small onion and tomato also this sambar tastes great.
• You can replace toor dal with half and half of toor dal with moong dal too. This sambar tastes great for tiffin items like idli, dosa, pongal etc.
• You can replace fresh coconut with desiccated coconut too.
• As it uses freshly ground spices, the sambar will be flavorful even without any vegetable.
• Do not worry if your spice powder is not very fine. I usually make is slightly coarse only but the sambar comes out well.

Nutrition Facts

Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe

Amount Per Serving (100 g)

Calories 396 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 116mg5%

Potassium 688mg20%

Carbohydrates 76g25%

Fiber 20g83%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 11191IU224%

Vitamin C 156mg189%

Calcium 148mg15%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Mention @sharmispassions or tag #sharmispassions

Like our video?Subscribe to our youtube channel to get latest updates!