I am not a big fan of Saravana Bhavan Sambar, but when I was searching for hotel sambar recipes, this recipe caught my attention so bookmarked and kept.Finally a day has come for me to try this sambar tagged as ‘Saravana Bhavan Style Hotel Sambar’.I cannot say that this tastes exactly the same as Saravana Bhavan Sambar but sure comes very closer to it,so worth the try.This sambar is thick and flavourful making it ideal to serve for any breakfast dishes like idli,dosa,vadai pongal etc.
Hotel Sambar Recipe – Ingredients
Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2
Recipe Category: Main | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Ref : IndianTamilRecipe
Recipe Category: Main | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Ref : IndianTamilRecipe
Toor Dal – 1/3 cup
Tomato – 1/2 medium roughly chopped
Carrot – 1 roughly chopped
Brinjal – 1 roughly chopped
Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
Tamarind – 1 marble sized
Coriander Leaves(finely chopped) – to garnish
Oil – 1.5 tsp
Water – as required
Salt – to taste
To grind:
Fried Gram Dal – 1 tsp
Coconut – 1/2 tbsp
Tomato – 1/2 medium roughly chopped
Sambar powder – 1/2 heaped tsp
To temper:
Oil – 1.5 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Split Urad Dal – 1/4 tsp
Small Onion – 7 halved
Fenugreek Seeds – 1/8 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Curry Leaves – few
Green Chilli – 1 slitted
Saravana Bhavan Hotel Sambar Recipe Quick Video
Method:
- To a mixer jar add all the ingredients listed under ‘to grind’ and grind to a fine paste along with little water if needed.Soak tamarind in water.
- Rinse dal add it along with turmeric powder,oil and water till immersing level to a pressure cooker.Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame or until mushy.
- Once pressure releases mash it well with a laddle,Set aside.In a kadai heat oil, saute the veggies along with tomato.
- Saute for few mins until it shrinks.Add dal + water to veggies.Let it boil.
- Cook covered for few mins until the veggies are soft.Once veggies are cooked, add grinded paste.
- Boil until raw smell leaves.Add tamarind water and simmer for few mins.
- Meanwhile prepare the tadka : Heat oil in a tadka pan – add mustard seeds let it splutter, then add urad dal and fenugreek seeds, hing.Add curry leaves,small onions and green chilli.Saute till transparent.
- Add this tadka to boiling sambar.Allow for a short boil.Finally garnish with coriander leaves, mix well and switch off.Sambar should be flowing so adjust the consistency.
Serve with hot idlis.
My Notes:
- This is tiffin sambar so should be flowing and not too thick.So adjust the consistency by adding water according to your preference.
- This sambar thickens with time so add hot water, if it becomes to thick while serving.
- Add veggies or a combination of veggies so that sambar is flavourful.I used carrots,brinjal and shallots(small onion) for making this sambar.You can even use drumstick.
- Add 1/2 tsp chilli powder if your sambar powder is less spicy.
tempting…..
This is sort of reverse of traditional sambar right? Like we add tamarind pulp to the cooked dal and add shallots in end. Can we also add shallots along with the veggies initially?
Yes you can….
What's the Malayalam of fried gram dal?? Is it kadala parippu or something else?? Confused
I don't know in malayalam but it is called pottukadalai in tamil
Yes Porittha kadalai paruppu
Made it today..for the first time..it tasted superb..thanks for the recipe ��
I made this sambhar 2 times so far,my hubby and daughter loved it.thank you very much for sharing this tasty receipe.
its ok not soo good
In the original recipie, you need to add about 1/5 tsp of powdered jaggery. Remember, the whole philosophy of a sambhar is to have all the six flavors derived by ayurvedha. Also, drumstick needs to be added, that will add a bit of a bitterness. But this is quite a good recipie for beginners. Good job!
hi i followed all your recipes and i tried out many…all comes out very well…your pictorial representation is very useful for beginners like me…thanks for sharing recipes with us…keep going…….
Hi Sharmi tried this recipe and it was tasty. Never thought coconut goes in this. Thank you for sharing this cuisine
wow! It came out amazing, my familly loved it.
Thank you.
I tried it,was very tasty .my family loved it very much.
It dint come out like saravanabhavan sambar . .I was eagerly waiting to try because I love that sambar but this tastes entirely different …
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s simple and tasted really good along with idlis.
I added jaggery, drumstick and potatoes.