A typical South Indian meal is not complete without sambar and rasam. Traditionally sambar takes nearly one hour to make but this is an instant version of sambar powder that can be prepared under 15 minutes. Also check my authentic sambar powder. Learn how to make instant sambar powder recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Instant Sambar Powder
I am truly blessed to have such a loving perimma / aunt. She is a gem and in fact she is a great cook too. Her rasam powder is truly a hit. This is one of the awesome recipe which she gave me. I was truly honoured to share it with you all because I know it is going to save you many hours.
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She made this sambar powder for her son/ my brother who have to go abroad because of job. So I call this bachelor sambar and imagine a bachelors relieve when he can make an instant sambar after a tiring day at work to have with rice or anything.
I have a perfect sambar powder recipe in this blog. But this one is an instant version. Because if you have this sambar powder on hand, u can whip up the delicious sambar even in the peek hour, because this is going to take just less than 15 mins for you.
About Instant Sambar Mix
This homemade instant sambar mix is made by roasting lentils, chillies and spices. Roasted spices and dal is then ground to form a coarse powder. You can store this instant mix at room temperature for over a month.
Homemade sambar mix is made with toor dal, coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cumin, fenugreek, asafoetida and tamarind. Instead of toor dal you can use chana dal as well.
When making instant sambar. Saute onions, tomatoes along with instant sambar mix and boil for few minutes till thickened slightly. I added coriander leaves into the sambar to add fresh aroma. Serve this instant sambar with idli, dosa or rice.
Similar Recipes,
Instant Sambar Powder Ingredients
Instant sambar powder is made with basic ingredients which you already have on hand. So here is it for you.
Toor Dal - Used to create the bulk in this instant sambar powder. You don't need to add cooked toor dal in this recipe. Roasted toor dal helps thicken the sambar and gives the taste.
Coriander Seeds - Totally for aroma and very essential for the unique sambar taste. Usually coriander seeds are added two to three times of the chilli measurement.
Dry Red Chillies - You can always use half dry red chillies and half Kashmiri variety if you want less heat and more colour.
Cumin and Fenugreek - adds to the unique aroma of the sambar powder.
Asafoetida - Asafoetida or Hing is a spice which lifts the whole sambar to the entire level so never skimp on it.
Tamarind - This recipe has tamarind added as well so you don't need to add extra tamarind when making sambar.
How to Make Sambar Using Instant Sambar Powder
This sambar has no dal or tamarind in it, so it fit a perfect title of bachelor sambar. But when you taste this sambar you will never find any difference at all. It taste just as good as normal sambar which you make.
I made a simple sambar using onions and tomatoes, but you can add any veggies in this. But the main thing is you need a good amount of onions and tomatoes to make this, because that what makes it very tasty, since you don't add any extra tamarind.
For making tiffin style sambar, just use onions and tomatoes as shown below. This style of sambar goes well with your tiffin recipes like idli, dosa, pongal and upma. For making sambar which goes well with rice, I recommend you to add mixed vegetables and extra tamarind.
How to Make Instant Sambar Mix (Stepwise Pictures)
Roasted Dal
1)Take toor dal in a dry pan. Roast on low to medium heat till slightly golden and aromatic. It will take around 8 to 10 minutes.
2)Remove the roasted dal to a plate and allow them to cool.
Roast Ingredients
3)In the same kadai. Add in dry red chillies in the pan and roast for 2 to 3 minutes.
4)Now the chillies is roasted.
5)Take the chillies in the same plate and allow them to cool.
6)In the same pan, add in coriander seeds. Roast coriander seeds on low medium heat till aromatic.
7)Remove the roasted coriander seeds in the same plate.
8)Add in cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds in the same kadai. Roast for 1 minute.
9)Remove it to the same plate.
10)Now turn off the heat, add in turmeric and asafoetida and give a good mix for 10 seconds. This is to heat turmeric and asafoetida.
11)Remove this to the same plate.
12)Now turn off the heat. Add in tamarind and saute the tamarind in the residual heat for 1 minute. This is to remove any excess moisture from the tamarind.
13)Remove the tamarind to the plate. Now allow the whole roasted mixture to cool completely.
Grinding Instant Sambar Mix
14)Now take the cooled mix into a blender except tamarind. If you are making bigger batch, grind it in batches.
15)Grind it to a powder. It doesn't have to be fine. You can make it slightly coarse too.
16)Add the roasted tamarind in the instant mix.
17)Grind the tamarind into the powder.
18)Instant sambar mix is ready. You can store this in an air tight container.
How to Make Sambar (with Instant Mix)
1)Heat oil in a pot. Add in mustard, urad dal and asafoetida.
2)Add in curry leaves and let them sizzle.
3)Add in sliced onions, green chillies.
4)Sprinkle some salt and saute them for 2 to 3 minutes.
5)Onions are sauted.
6)Now add in tomatoes.
7)Cook tomatoes till it soften.
8)Add in the instant sambar mix.
9)Mix that into the onion and tomato mix.
10)Pour water and mix well.
11)Sprinkle very little sugar or jaggery. This is to balance the taste.
12)Bring it to a full boil.
13)Cover the pot with lid and cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
14)Add in coriander leaves.
15)Mix well.
16)Instant sambar is ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- This sambar powder is very helpful when you dont have much time.
- You don't need cooked dal when you make sambar using this powder. Just add this powder to veggies and cook it. Instant tasty sambar is ready.
- You can add any vegetables into the onion tomato to make sambar.
- Instead of toor dal, you can use half toor dal and half chana dal.
Storage
This Instant sambar mix can be stored in an air tight container for 2 months or more.
More Sambar Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe Card
Instant Sambar Powder Recipe | Sambar without Dal
Equipment
- Cooking pot
- Blender
Ingredients
Instant Sambar Powder Recipe
- 2 cups Toor Dal
- ¾ cup Coriander Seeds
- 20 Dry Red Chillies
- 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
- 1½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 1½ tbsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Asafoetida | Hing
- 1 lemon size Tamarind
Instant Sambar Recipe
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ½ tsp Urad dal
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 large Onion sliced thinly
- 1 no Green Chilli
- 2 no Tomato sliced
- 4 tbsp Instant Sambar Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Jaggery
- 3 cups Water
- 3 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped finely
Instructions
Instant Sambar Powder Recipe
- Start by roasting all the ingredients one by one in a dry pan, till they turn little golden. Remove to a plate. Let them cool down completely.
- Now take all the ingredients except tamarind in a blender and make it into a powder.
- Add in tamarind and powder again. Let this cool down and then store it in an air tight container.
Instant Sambar Recipe
- Heat oil in a pot. Add in mustard, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Let it sizzle for a min or so.
- Add in onions and green chillies along with some salt. Saute till it gets soft.
- Add in tomatoes and mix well. Add in sambar powder and mix well.
- Pour in water and bring it to a boil.
- Add in some sugar. Cover and simmer this for 10 mins.
- Add in coriander leaves and mix well. Serve with rice, idli or dosa..
Notes
- This sambar powder is very helpful when you dont have much time.
- You don't need cooked dal when you make sambar using this powder. Just add this powder to veggies and cook it. Instant tasty sambar is ready.
- You can add any vegetables into the onion tomato to make sambar.
- Instead of toor dal, you can use half toor dal and half chana dal.
Storage
This Instant sambar mix can be stored in an air tight container for 2 months or more.Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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rajashree ac
Hi.. This s a very nice receipe. Since tamarind s added can it b stored outside for a long time? That s for a few months?
Aarthi
@rajashree acU can store this for a month i would say out..And for more than 6 months in fridge..
Anonymous
Ahhhhhh....the best recipe for me. I'll call it the bachelorette recipe for myself!! Anything that goes instant like this is also perfect for students. Btw Aarthi here is just an idea- why don't you also create a separate student meals section: easy peasy recipes for uni/higher education students. Living in Europe I can't find many S. Asian ingredients cheaply here- but alternatives would be super good (like the sambar recipe you did w/o tamarind 🙂 )
Rajmahendri Varma
I can't wait to try out this recipe. Your recipes are always I would say excellent. Thank you aarthi
kalai vani
Can we use moong dal instead of Toor dal
Aarthi
@kalai vaniyes u can use
Anonymous
Hi,
Just tried your bachelor sambhar powder as well as the sambhar.. It tasted awesome.. I was little hesitant to cook the sambhar as it had no toor dhal or tamarind.. But after preparing it really smelled nice and the taste was simply superb.. Thanks a lot for such a wonderful receipe.
Regards,
Sowmya
Anonymous
The taste was awesome...it was like hotel sambar...thank you for sharing this receipe
joy silvea
Awesome recipe.. How much spoon is needed to make a sambar for two ?
em perfect foods
u all can try perfect instant sambar mix. taste awesome. it takes 5 min to cook. no preservative, no msg 100% natural visit http://www.emperfectfoods.com
Rajan Sowri
What a recipe! Bachelors like me (though married and living alone in Dubai) this is fantastic. I have already made the sambar powder - awesome smell. Yes, more than Hotel Sambar.
Do you have the recipe for Rasam also. Would appreciate if you could share it with us.
Vesta
Hi Arthi,
Thanks for the wonderful recipe.came out really well. Everyone in my family loved it
Kavita Veturi
Excellent taste . Making this for my son who is in University.
Umber Aziz
What is toor daal in Pakistan
Aarthi
Arhar dal
Aruna
hello Arthi, I tried this last night and made sambar with this now - it is really good easy to make and comes in handy when we have unexpected guests or when we dont have time for an elaborate cooking. Thank you.
Kyle
How much instant sambar powder is used in this bachelor sambar recipe? I don’t see the measurement anywhere. Thanks so much, I am LOVING your recipes and have a friend here in Hawaii who’s family is from southern india and he is very impressed with my cooking because of you!
Aarthi
Updated the recipe with measurements. Hope you find it helpful now.