Tiffin Sambar
Idli sambar is a staple item of South-Indian cuisine and a common go-to breakfast in any Indian household — delicious and packed with carbohydrates, proteins, fibres and vitamins. Tiffin sambar is a delicious congruent of different Indian herbs and spices.
Ingredients
- Sambar powder: urad dal, i.e. black grams (1/4 tablespoon)
- Coriander seeds (1/4 tablespoon)
- Channa dal, i.e. Bengal grams or chickpeas (1/4 tablespoon)
- Dried red chillies (2-3)
- Curry leaves (2-3)
- Heeng, i.e. asafoetida (1/10 tablespoon)
- Jeera, i.e. cumin seeds (1/4 tablespoon)
- Coconut oil (1/2 tablespoon)
- Sambar stew: potatoes, cubed (1/4)
- Tomatoes, chopped (1/4)
- Shallot, halved (1)
- Drumsticks (1 and 1/4)
- Brinjal, cubed (1/5)
- Beans, chopped (1 and 1/4)
- Chilli, slit (1/2)
- Carrots, chopped (1/5)
- Coriander, finely chopped (1/2 tablespoon)
- Turmeric (1/10 tablespoon)
- Salt (1/4 tablespoon)
- Mustard (1/4 tablespoon)
- Fenugreek (1/10 tablespoon)
- Tamarind extract (1/5 cup)
- Jaggery (1/6 tablespoon)
- Toor dal, boiled (1/4 cup)
- Water (1/4 cup)
- Sunflower oil (1/2 tablespoon)
Method
- 1
Heat 1/4 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan and add some sambar powder (made from the ingredients above).
- 2
Add the shallots and chillies; sauté till golden-brown. Add sliced tomatoes and cook a minute or two.
- 3
Add all the remaining veggies and sauté for two minutes.
- 4
Add turmeric, salt and jaggery to the mixture.
- 5
Add tamarind extract and cook, covered, for nearly ten minutes.
- 6
Add the boiled toor dal and water. Add 1.5 teaspoons more sambar powder and boil the mixture well.
- 7
Add curry leaves to finish and cook two more minutes.
- 8
Serve as a savoury with idlis, rava idlis, medu vadas, dosas, or steamed rice.
