This Tiffin Sambar Recipe / Hotel style Tiffin Sambar is specially prepared for tiffin varieties and not the regular sambar we make for rice. Moong dal is used for this sambar which lends a unique taste and it is not heavy as other sambar varieties. Freshly prepared spice powder is used here and it goes very well with dosa, vada and ven pongal too. I love this sambar served in Ratna Cafe in Chennai, where they used to pour a mug of tiffin sambar even for two idli’s. Though the ingredients list looks lengthier this sambar can be prepared very easily in a breeze. I have recently updated the post with a short youtube video. If you like the video, please Like it, Share it and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel. Ok lets go to the recipe.
Tiffin Sambar Recipe
Tiffin Sambar Recipe | Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Moong Dal
- 8 to 10 Small Onion / Shallot
- 1 Green chilli
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Potato
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Small gooseberry size Tamarind
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Jaggery / Sugar (Optional)
- Coriander Leaves For garnishing
- Salt As Required
To Roast & Grind
- 1 tblsp Channa Dal
- 1 tblsp Coriander Seeds
- 3 to 4 Red chilli
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tsp Jeera
- Few Curry Leaves (Optional)
To Temper
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
- 1/2 tsp Jeera
- 1 Red Chilli
- 2 Sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 Generous pinch Hing
- 1 tblsp Oil / Ghee
Instructions
- Chop onion, tomato and slit green chilli. Peel the skin of carrot, potato and chop it. Soak tamarind in water. In a pan, dry roast all the ingredients given in the table 'To Roast & Grind'.
- Allow it to cool. In a mixer, grind the roasted ingredients to a coarse powder. In a pan dry roast moong dal until nice aroma arises. Once the dal cools, rinse well and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles with required water. Mash it well.
- In a pan heat oil and temper with the ingredients listed in the table 'To Temper'. Add shallots and saute well. Now add green chilli, tomato and saute till it turns mushy.
- Then add potato, carrot and dal water. Add turmeric powder, salt and cook for 7 to 8 minutes till the veggies turn soft.
- Now pour tamarind water, add the grinded powder, mix well and boil for a while. Add cooked dal and boil for another 5 minutes. Finally add sugar and garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve this hotel style tiffin sambar with hot steaming idli's.
Video
Method for Tiffin Sambar Recipe
2. Allow it to cool. In a mixer, grind the roasted ingredients to a coarse powder. In a pan dry roast moong dal until nice aroma arises. Once the dal cools, rinse well and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles with required water. Mash it well.
3. In a pan heat oil and temper with the ingredients listed in the table ‘To Temper‘. Add shallots and saute well. Now add green chilli, tomato and saute till it turns mushy.
4. Then add potato, carrot and dal water. Add turmeric powder, salt and cook for 7 to 8 minutes till the veggies turn soft.
5. Now pour tamarind water, add the grinded powder, mix well and boil for a while. Add cooked dal and boil for another 5 minutes. Finally add sugar and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve this hotel style tiffin sambar with hot steaming idli’s.
Tiffin Sambar Recipe
Tips for Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar
1. Roasting moong dal is optional, but it adds an extra flavour to the sambar.
2. Adjust chilli as per your spice level for this tiffin sambar recipe.
3. For quick version, 1.5 tblsp of ready made sambar powder can be used instead of dry roasting.
4. Don’t add tamarind more than mentioned as this sambar should not be tangy.
5. Veggies choice is purely optional. Veggies like brinjal, pumpkin, drumstick etc can also be used.
6. Add hing and curry leaves generously which lends a wonderful aroma to the sambar.
7. This hotel style tiffin sambar should be in the watery consistency only and not too thick.
8. Addition of jaggery / sugar is optional but it enhances the taste of the sambar.
9. Tempering can be done at last also, which retains the flavour for a longer time.
Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar
Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog. 
Comfort curry!
I always want to try this reicpe… tiffin sambar and radiish sambar is on my list since long time… You remind me that i have a pending work ;)…
you recipes are very good and your pictures too.. I enjoy reading your blog…
Thanks Priya.