Udupi Sambar Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
275 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Udupi Sambar Recipe
Description
This Udupi Sambar recipe uses pigeon pea lentils pressure-cooked until soft and mashed. The distinctive sambar masala is prepared by dry roasting coriander, cumin, dals, fenugreek, red chilies, and asafoetida, then ground with fresh grated coconut and water to a smooth paste. Vegetables such as shallots, carrots, bottle gourd, brinjal, and tomato are simmered until nearly tender in turmeric and salt-seasoned water. The tamarind soak is extracted for its tangy pulp, which is combined with the lentils and vegetables.
The dish is finished by mixing in the spiced lentil mash with the vegetable broth, creating a thick stew with a depth of flavor from the coconut and freshly roasted spices. It is typically garnished with fresh curry leaves and coriander. Udupi Sambar provides a warm, comforting texture with tender vegetables and a balance of sour, spicy, and savory notes. It pairs well with steamed rice or idli.
Vegetable choice can be varied according to availability and cooking times. Adjust the consistency with water as needed to achieve the desired thickness.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- ⅓ cup pigeon pea lentils (tur dal or arhar dal)
- 2 cups water for pressure cooking dal
- 5 to 6 shallot sambar onions) or 1 medium-sized onion - quartered, optional
- 1 carrot - peeled and chopped
- ½ cup bottle gourd lauki or opo squash, chopped
- 2 to 3 brinjal eggplant or aubergine), quartered, small
- 1 or 2 chicken drumsticks peeled and cut into 3 or 4 inch pieces
- 1 tomato - medium-sized, diced
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon tamarind - tightly packed, soaked in ⅓ cup hot water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 or 2 teaspoons jaggery or as add as required
- 2 cups water for cooking vegetables
- salt as required
For udupi sambar masala
- 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons urad dal (husked and split black gram)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chana dal (husked and split Bengal gram)
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 3 to 4 byadagi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies, broken and seeds removed, dried
- ¼ cup coconut or unsweetened desiccated coconut, grated fresh
- ⅓ cup water for grinding or add as required
For tempering
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chili - broken and seeds removed
- 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil any neutral flavored oil or can use coconut oil, generic cooking oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves for garnish, (optional, chopped
Instructions
Making Udupi sambar masala
- In a frying pan or skillet, dry roast only the spices mentioned under "for udupi sambar masala". Stir often while roasting/toasting them and ensure that they do not get burnt.
- When cooled, grind to a fine paste with ⅓ cup water together with grated coconut.
Cooking Lentils and Vegetables
- Pressure cook tur dal on medium to medium-high heat with 2 cups water and turmeric powder for 7 to 8 whistles on medium heat in a 2 litre pressure cooker
- Let the pressure fall naturally in the cooker and then only open the lid.
- When the lentils are cooked and softened, mash them with a wired whisk or a spoon. Set aside.
- Soak tamarind in hot water and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes. Later extract the pulp from the soaked tamarind. Set the tamarind pulp aside.
- In another pot or pan, mix the chopped vegetables, 2 cups water, turmeric powder, salt and cook till the vegetables are almost done.
Making Udupi Sambar
- Add the mashed lentils to the vegetables.
- Stir and add the tamarind pulp followed by the prepared sambar masala paste. If required you can add some water.
- Add the jaggery and mix again.
- Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or more, till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away and the flavors have merged with each other in the sambar.
- Taste and if required add salt.
Making tempering
- Firstly, heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Keep the heat to low.
- Then, add the red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Fry for some seconds until the red chilies change color and the curry leaves become crisp. Pour the tempering mixture in the sambar.
- Cover the pan with a lid for a few minutes, so that the flavors of the tempering get mixed in the Sambar.
- Serve Udupi Sambar hot with steamed rice, idli or dosa.
Notes
- Use moong lentils or a mix of tur and moong dal as alternatives to pigeon pea lentils.
- Choose vegetables based on pantry availability, adjusting the cooking times accordingly.
- Steaming vegetables instead of boiling is an option to retain texture and flavor.
- Adjust water quantity to control sambar consistency to your preference.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 275 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 275kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 41g | 14% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Sodium | 182mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 978mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 16g | 64% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 3196IU | 64% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 49mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 96mg | 107% |
| Vitamin E | 4mg | |
| Vitamin K | 15µg | |
| Calcium | 110mg | 11% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 615µg | |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
| Magnesium | 89mg | 22% |
| Phosphorus | 183mg | |
| Zinc | 2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.