Tiffin sambar is a south indian style sambar served for breakfast or dinner with tiffin items like idli, dosa, pongal, oothapam etc. Tiffin sambar recipe with step by step pictures with easily available ingredients in your pantry.
Tiffin sambar is mittus fav either with idli, dosa or even ven pongal. I have shared here a basic hotel style tiffin sambar recipe with tips and tricks.
About Tiffin Sambar
Tiffin sambar is generally made with moong dal as its light perfect to pair up with tiffin items. I make this sambar with toor dal and moong dal combo too which is another version. Making freshly roasted and ground spices makes the sambar more flavourful. Also tempering made at the last stage and adding gives it more taste and flavour so amma always insists to make tadka at the end. This tiffin sambar recipe is basic but to make more flavourful and tasty have given tips and tricks that I follow.
Tiffin Sambar Ingredients
- Moong dal : Generally we use moong dal for making tiffin sambar but you can add half and half of moong dal with toor dal too.
- Vegetables : You can use any vegetable of your choice. You can either use brinjal or potato or carrot or a combination of these.
- Tamarind : Extract tamarind water / pulp by soaking dry tamarind in hot water.
- Fresh spices : Freshly roasted and ground spices added to this tiffin sambar gives great flavour.
Variations
- You can replace sambar powder with freshly roasted spices.
- Replace half and half of moong dal and toor dal.
- Sometimes I even skip spice powder and make it less spicy more like a thick dal soup with vegetables suitable for young kids and elders.
Is tiffin sambar and lunch sambar same?
No tiffin sambar generally uses moong dal and toor dal can be used. But for lunch sambar toor dal is a must to be added.
If you have any more questions about this tiffin sambar recipe do mail me at [email protected]. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this tiffin sambar recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Tiffin Sambar Recipe | Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow moong dal
- 10 nos small onion
- 1 no tomato roughly chopped
- 1 medium sized potato
- 1 small carrot
- 1 no green chilli
- 1 tablespoon tamarind water
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves finely chopped
- salt to taste
To roast and grind:
- 1 tablespoon chana dal
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 no red chilli
To temper:
- 1 tablespoon oil / ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon split urad dal
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 8 nos curry leaves
- a generous pinch hing
Instructions
-
Dry roast the ingredients under 'to roast and grind' and grind it to a semi fine powder. Set aside.
-
Dry roast moong dal till nice aroma comes and is slightly browned.
-
Cool down, rinse it well and pressure cook with enough water for 4-5 whistles until its mushy. Smash it again with a laddle, set aside.
-
In a kadai - add the onion, tomato and green chillies. Saute till tomato shrinks and raw smell leaves.
-
Then add potato and carrot along with turmeric powder and salt and saute for 2mins.
-
Then transfer this to the cooked dal. Either you can add more water at this stage and pressure cook for 1 whistle or just cook the veggies while boiling itself. Then add the roast and ground powder.
-
Soak tamarind in warm water , discard the seeds and add this to sambar, then add jaggery. Allow the sambar to boil and thicken. Add required salt.
-
Once it is boiled and reaches the desired consistency, add coriander leaves. In a kadai add the items under ' to temper' and transfer this to the sambar. Switch off.
-
Tiffin Sambar is perfect with idlis and dosas. Serve hot with idlis drizzled with ghee....heaven!! 🙂
Notes
- Tempering at the last stage retains the flavour and aroma. You can drizzle ghee while switching off. While roasting you can add 2 teaspoon of coconut too.
- Don't add more tamarind than mentioned as it will give a more tangy taste.
- You can also brinjals along with potato and carrots which is the best combo of veggies.
- Use small onion as it enhances the flavour of the sambar.
How to make Tiffin Sambar
- Dry roast the ingredients under ‘to roast and grind’ and grind it to a semi fine powder. Set aside. Dry roast moong dal till nice aroma comes and is slightly browned.
- Cool down,rinse it well and pressure cook with enough water for 4-5 whistles until its mushy. Smash it again with a laddle, set aside. In a kadai – add the onion, tomato and green chillies. Saute till tomato shrinks and raw smell leaves.
- Then add potato and carrot along with turmeric powder and salt and saute for 2mins. Then transfer this to the cooked dal. Either you can add more water at this stage and pressure cook for 1 whistle or just cook the veggies while boiling itself. Then add the roast and ground powder.
- Soak tamarind in warm water , discard the seeds and add this to sambar, then add jaggery. Allow the sambar to boil and thicken. Add required salt.
- Once it is boiled and reaches the desired consistency, add coriander leaves. In a kadai add the items under ‘ to temper’ and transfer this to the sambar. Switch off. Tiffin sambar is ready.
This is perfect with idlis and dosas. Serve hot with idlis drizzled with ghee….heaven!! 🙂
Expert Tips
- Tempering at the last stage retains the flavour and aroma. You can drizzle ghee while switching off. While roasting you can add 2 teaspoon of coconut too.
- Dont add more tamarind than mentioned as it will give a more tangy taste.
- You can also brinjals along with potato and carrots which is the best combo of veggies.
- Use small onion as it enhances the flavour of the sambar.
Leave a Reply