Saravana Bhavan Hotel Style Sambar
Hotel Style Sambar is a tasty, flavorful side dish made by cooking dal, veggies & spices. This Saravana Bhavan Style Sambar is inspired by the famous Tamil Nadu hotel and brings that same taste home. It is a great side for Idli, Dosa, Uttappam & Upma that could be easily reciprocated at home with this recipe.
Servings2 people
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup toor dal
- ½ medium tomato roughly chopped
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 1 brinjal roughly chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 marble sized tamarind
- coriander leaves finely chopped to garnish
- 1.5 teaspoon oil
- water as required
- salt to taste
TO GRIND:
- 1 teaspoon fried gram dal
- ½ tablespoon coconut
- ½ medium tomato roughly chopped
- ½ heaped teaspoon sambar powder
TO TEMPER:
- 1.5 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon split urad dal
- 7 halved small onion
- ⅛ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- a pinch hing
- few curry leaves
- 1 green chilli slitted
Instructions
- 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 ladle, set aside.
- In a kadai heat oil, sauté the veggies along with tomato.
- Sauté for few minutes 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 minutes.
- 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. Sauté 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 Saravana Bhavan Hotel Style Sambar with hot idlis.
Notes
- For perfect consistency – The sambar should be little flowing and not too thick. I usually add little hot water at the end if it looks too thick after boiling.
- Don’t overcook veggies – They need to be soft but not too mushy. I just cook them till they shrink and become tender, that’s enough.
- Masala freshness – Always grind the masala just before adding. Boil it nicely for few mins so the raw smell goes fully. This gives that hotel kind of flavor.
- Tadka timing – Try to add the tadka only after sambar is fully cooked. It gives fresh flavor and makes the sambar smell too good in the end.
- Resting time – Once the sambar's done, just keep it covered for 10–15 mins after turning off. It help the flavors settle down and taste more nice.
Nutrition Facts
Saravana Bhavan Hotel Style Sambar
Amount Per Serving (75 g)
Calories 244
Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.02g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Sodium 125mg5%
Potassium 815mg23%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 5662IU113%
Vitamin C 19mg23%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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