South Indian Sambar Recipe | Traditional Homemade Sambar | TipyTops 🍲🌿

South Indian Sambar is a classic, nutritious, and flavour-packed lentil-based curry made with vegetables, tamarind, and aromatic spices. This traditional sambar recipe is comforting, wholesome, and pairs beautifully with rice, idli, dosa, pongal, and many South Indian meals 😍.

Ingredients

• Small Onion – ¼ kg

• Toor Dal – 1 cup (250 ml)

• Tomato – 1 large

• Castor Oil – 1 tsp

• Tamarind – a small lemon-sized ball

• Til Oil (Sesame Oil) – 2 tbsp

• Mustard Seeds (Rai) – ¼ tsp

• Urad Dal – ½ tsp

• Asafoetida (Hing) – 1 tsp

• Curry Leaves – 1 bunch

• Salt – as per taste

• Drumstick – 2

• Brinjal (Eggplant) – 4

• Carrot – 1

• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

• Sambar Powder – 2½ tbsp

• Coriander Leaves – 1 cup

Preparation Method

In a bowl, add 1 cup (250 ml) of toor dal.

Rinse it thoroughly, pour one glass of water, and close with a lid.

Soak the dal overnight. or (2-4 hours)

Stay connected with us for more traditional and healthy recipes.

"Yaan Petra Inbam Peruga Ivvaiyagam"

(Let's the World get the same Bliss that I got from our lord)

Tirumular

I hope you enjoyed this authentic South Indian sambar recipe and try it in your kitchen soon. Thank you for being part of the TipyTops family.

Cooking the Dal

The next day, transfer the soaked dal to a pressure pan.

Wash it, add some water, close with a lid, and keep aside.

Preparing the Sambar Base

Add ¼ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp urad dal, and 1 tsp asafoetida.

A comforting and satisfying meal every time 😋✨

Final Thoughts

If you liked this recipe, please like, share, and subscribe 🙏

Prepared using soaked toor dal, fresh vegetables, homemade-style seasoning, and sesame oil, this sambar is both healthy and delicious—perfect for everyday cooking 🍽️✨.

In this recipe, let’s see how to make South Indian style sambar at home in a few easy steps.

Note: Soaking overnight helps improve mineral absorption in the body.

Check that the dal is well soaked.

Add 1 tsp castor oil.

Close with the lid and cook until one whistle sounds.

Preparing Tamarind Water

In another bowl, add lemon-sized tamarind.

Once the pressure releases from the dal, open the lid.

Pour 1½ glasses of water into the cooked dal and mix well.

Separate some dal water into a vessel to prepare rasam and keep it aside.

Note: If you are not planning to make dal rasam, you can skip this step.

Pour the remaining dal into a vessel and keep aside.

In the same pressure pan, add 2 tbsp til oil.

Mix well.

Add ¼ kg small onions and mix.

Add one bunch of curry leaves and one large tomato.

Add salt as required and mix well.

Close with the lid.

Once the onions turn soft, add the mixed vegetables.

Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and 2½ tbsp sambar powder.

Pour some water and mix well.

Close with the lid and cook until one whistle sounds.

Final Cooking

Once the pressure is released, open the lid.

Add the cooked dal to the vegetable mixture and mix well.

Add the tamarind water and mix.

Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to medium-low.

Close with the lid and cook for 5–10 minutes.

Finally, add coriander leaves and close with the lid.

Serving Suggestions 🍚

Serve this hot South Indian sambar with:

• Steamed rice

• Idli

• Dosa

• Pongal

• Vada

That’s it! Your traditional South Indian sambar is ready 🍲💛