This Idli Sambar recipe / Instant Sambar for idli is a perfect and heavenly combo with hot steaming idli’s. I have already shared a hotel style tiffin sambar, which is a little bit longer that calls for roasting and grinding. But this sambar is really an instant version which can be prepared under 25 mins. This is a signature recipe of my mom, she usually prepares this sambar for our guests along with idli, medu vada, kichadi or ven pongal. The addition of Bengal gram is a twist to the recipe which adds more taste and I suggest using homemade sambar powder than ready-made ones. Finally, I have shared this recipe with a short YouTube video, If you like the video, please Like it, Share it, and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel.

Instant Sambar for Idli

Idli Sambar Recipe | Instant Sambar for Idli
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250 ML, 1 tsp = 5 ML
- ½ Cup Toor Dal
- ¼ Cup Bengal Gram / Channa Dal
- 10 Small Onion / Shallots
- 4 Green Chilli
- 4 Tomato
- ⅛ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Sambar Powder
- Salt As Required
- 2 tsp Jaggery / Sugar
- Coriander Leaves For Garnishing
To Temper
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- ½ tsp Urad Dal
- 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp Methi Seeds
- 1 Red Chilli
- 2 Generous Pinch Hing
- 2 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 tbsp Oil / Ghee
Instructions
- Peel the skin of shallots. Chop shallots, tomatoes and slit green chilli. Keep by side.
- Rinse toor dal and bengal gram well. Pressure cook both the dals, with 1.5 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder for 4 to 5 whistles.
- In a pan, pour 1/2 tbsp of oil add shallots and saute till transparent. Then add green chilli and tomatoes. Saute again and cover it with a lid, till the tomatoes turn mushy and leave all the water.
- Now pour dal water, once it starts to boil add turmeric powder, sambar powder and required salt. Mix well and boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Mash the dal well and add it to the boiling dal water. Boil for another 3 to 4 minutes and switch off.
- In a small pan pour 1/2 tbsp of oil/ghee and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add urad dal, methi seeds, jeera, red chilli and curry leaves.
- Add the tempered ingredients to the hot sambar. Finally, add jaggery/sugar and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve this instant sambar with hot idli.
Video
Notes
Tips of Instant Sambar for Idli
1. Bengal gram can be replaced with moong dal/masoor dal.2. This sambar cannot be prepared with toor dal alone, as it doesn't taste like idli sambar. The whole taste depends on the addition of Bengal gram.
3. Adjust green chilli as per spiciness required. If you want it more on the spicier side increase green chilli.
4. Use green chilli only, which adds more taste for this instant sambar for idli.
5. Shallots can be replaced with regular onions, but shallots lend more taste.
6. Use the mentioned number of tomatoes, as we don't use tamarind in this recipe. Also, the tanginess in the tomatoes is enough.
7. This sambar tastes good with shallots alone. But veggies like carrot, brinjal, drumstick, potato etc can be used.
8. This idli sambar recipe should be in the watery consistency only, not too thick.
9. Tempering, at last, helps to retain the flavour for a long time.
10. Use ghee for tempering which adds excellent aroma to this sambar.
11. Also, add hing and curry leaves generously while tempering.
12. Addition of jaggery/sugar is a must, as it gives a restaurant touch to the sambar.

Idli Sambar Recipe
Method for Idli Sambar Recipe
1. Peel the skin of shallots. Chop shallots, tomatoes, and slit green chilli. Keep by side.
2. Rinse toor dal and Bengal gram well. Pressure cook both the dals, with 1.5 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric powder for 4 to 5 whistles.
3. In a pan, pour 1/2 tbsp of oil add shallots and saute till transparent. Then add green chilli and tomatoes. Saute again and cover it with a lid, till the tomatoes turn mushy and leave all the water.
4. Now pour dal water, once it starts to boil add turmeric powder, sambar powder and required salt. Mix well and boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Mash the dal well and add it to the boiling dal water. Boil for another 3 to 4 minutes and switch off.
6. In a small pan pour 1/2 tbsp of oil/ghee and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add urad dal, methi seeds, jeera, red chilli and curry leaves.
7. Add the tempered ingredients to the hot sambar. Finally, add jaggery/sugar and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve this instant sambar with hot idli.

Instant Sambar for Idli
This is truely a simplest samvar
Super!
Thank you.
Hello Priya,
Very much loved this delicious sambar recipe. Your website is very beautiful, All the images added are in this webpage is very neat, systematic and very beautiful . Big thumbs up for this delicious share. ???
this recipe is so yummy.given tips are useful for preparing sambar