Idli Sambar

Delight your taste buds with the quintessential South Indian breakfast, Idli Sambar—a harmonious blend of soft, fluffy rice-lentil cakes paired with a hearty, spiced lentil and vegetable stew. This iconic dish combines the light, fermented goodness of idlis, made from a balanced mix of rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds, with the bold flavors of sambar, infused with tamarind, turmeric, aromatic curry leaves, and sambar powder. Packed with nutrients and naturally gluten-free, this soul-soothing combo is perfect for any meal of the day. Garnished with fresh coriander, Idli Sambar is best served piping hot, and it’s a must-try for lovers of Indian cuisine or anyone seeking a wholesome, comforting dish.

Nutriscore Rating: 79/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:60 mins

Total Time:90 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice
• 1 cup Urad dal (split black gram)
• 0.5 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
• 3 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Toor dal (pigeon peas)
• 2 tablespoons Tamarind pulp
• 0.5 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 0.25 teaspoon Asafoetida
• 10 leaves Curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons Sambar powder
• 1.5 cups Vegetables (carrot, bell pepper, drumstick)
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 large Tomato
• 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 1 medium Green chili

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the rice and urad dal separately under running water.

Step 2

Soak the rice in 2 cups of water and urad dal with fenugreek seeds in another bowl with 1 cup of water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Drain the urad dal and grind it to a smooth batter with minimal water, using a blender.

Step 4

Repeat the process with the rice, ensuring the batter is slightly coarse.

Step 5

Mix both batters together in a large bowl and add salt. Leave the batter to ferment overnight or until it doubles in volume.

Step 6

To prepare the sambar, rinse the toor dal and pressure cook it with turmeric and 2 cups of water until soft.

Step 7

Mash the cooked dal and set aside.

Step 8

In a pan over medium heat, add ghee, and temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, and chopped onion. Sauté until the onion turns translucent.

Step 9

Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for a few minutes.

Step 10

Stir in chopped tomato, green chili, and cook until tomatoes soften.

Step 11

Pour the tamarind pulp and 1-2 cups of water to the vegetables, allowing it to simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 12

Add the sambar powder, mashed toor dal, and adjust the consistency with additional water if needed. Simmer for 15-20 more minutes.

Step 13

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and adjust salt according to taste.

Step 14

For idlis, grease the idli molds and pour fermented batter into each cavity.

Step 15

Steam the idlis in an idli maker or steamer for about 10-12 minutes or until they turn fluffy and a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 16

Serve hot idlis with steaming sambar on the side.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	2234.1 grams (2234.1g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2368

Total Fat 25.90g	33%
Saturated Fat 11.00g	55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.40g
Cholesterol 40mg	13%
Sodium 5512mg	240%
Total Carbohydrate 434.90g	158%
Dietary Fiber 90.30g	323%
Total Sugars 55.00g
Protein 117.20g	234%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 704mg	54%
Iron 32mg	176%
Potassium 6944mg	148%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 9.5%

Protein: 19.2%

Carbs: 71.3%