Milagai Killi Potta Sambar Recipe

Milagai killi potta sambar recipe with step by step pictures. This is a sambar made without sambar powder. The main flavouring for this sambar comes from the dry red chillies and tomatoes.

Milagai killi potta sambar

I made this delicious sambar few days ago. And it was a super hit in the family. Every one loved the taste of this sambar.

About Milagai Killi Potta Sambar

Milagai killi potta sambar is a tasty but not so popular sambar recipe from the south of india. The main flavour to the sambar is dry red chillies and green chillies.

Milagai killi potta sambar doesn't need sambar powder or any other spice powders added. The spice comes from the dry red chillies and green chillies. The flavour for the sambar is mainly achieved by the seasoning.

This sambar doesn't have any vegetables added in them, except onions and tomatoes. Coriander leaves is added in the end for freshness and taste.

Why it is called Milagai Killi Potta?

Milagai means "chillies or dry red chillies", Killi means "broken into small pieces". This sambar has lots of dry red chillies which is broken into small pieces and added in the sambar. The dry red chillies roasted in the oil and cooked with boiled toor dal, onions and tomatoes. Dry red chillies soften and render their spicy juices into the sambar which makes the taste unique.

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Ingredients for Milagai Killi Potta Sambar

• 2 tbsp Gingelly Oil 
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal
• ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• 6 to 8 Dry Red Chillies
• 2 sprig Curry leaves
• ½ tsp Asafoetida
• 1 large Onion chopped
• 1 large Tomatoes chopped
• ½ tsp + ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 3 Green Chillies slit
• 1 cup Toor Dal
• 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Jaggery
• 5 tbsp Coriander leaves

How to Make Milagai Killi Potta Sambar (Steps)

Cooking Toor Dal:

Wash Toor Dal two to three times in water. Take it in a pressure cooker. Cover with water. Add water till water comes 2 inch above the dal. Add ½ tsp turmeric powder. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistle. Set aside.

 If you don’t have pressure cooker. Then take the dal in a sauce pan. Cover with water and bring it to a boil. Cook till the dal is broken down and turns soft. 

Making Seasoning.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add in seasoning ingredients one after another from mustard seeds to asafoetida. Let it sizzle and release its flavour. The main point is to roast the seasoning and chillies in a low heat so it doesn’t burn.

Making Sambar:

Once the seasoning has released it flavours in to the oil. Add in onions, green chillies along with a pinch of salt so the onions soften faster. Cook the onions for 2 mins. Add in turmeric powder and mix well. Now add in tomatoes and cook that for another 2 mins. Once tomatoes is cooked, add in tamarind paste and water. Bring everything to a boil. Add in toor dal and season with salt and jaggery. Check for seasoning and adjust it to your taste.

Finishing the sambar:

One everything is added in. Bring it to a boil. Simmer the flame and cook everything for a good 5 to 7 mins. This way the dry red chillies will soften and release it flavour into the sambar. Add in coriander leaves and mix well. Serve with idli, dosa or rice.

Video Recipe

📖 Recipe Card

Milagai Killi Potta Sambar Stepwise Pictures

1)Prepare your ingredients

2)Heat oil in a kadai. Add in seasoning ingredients one after another from mustard seeds to asafoetida. Let it sizzle and release its flavour. 

3) Add in dry red chillies. The main point is to roast the seasoning and chillies in a low heat so it doesn’t burn.

4)Once the seasoning has released it flavours in to the oil. Add in onions, green chillies.

5)Add a pinch of salt so the onions soften faster. Cook the onions for 2 mins.

6)Add in turmeric powder and mix well. 

7)Now add in tomatoes and cook that for another 2 mins. 

8)Add in tamarind paste.

9)add in tamarind paste and water. 

10)Add in cooked toor dal.

11)season with salt and jaggery. Check for seasoning and adjust it to your taste.

12)One everything is added in, Bring it to a boil. Simmer the flame and cook everything for a good 5 to 7 mins. This way the dry red chillies will soften and release it flavour into the sambar. 

13)Add in coriander leaves and mix well. Serve with idli, dosa or rice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1)Can we make sambar without sambar powder?

The Answer is Yes. You can make sambar without sambar powder. This killi potta sambar is an example for that. The main flavour for this sambar comes from dry red chillies.

2)What can I use instead of sambar powder?

You can use a combination of chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder instead of sambar powder.

3) Why it is called Milagai Killi Potta?

Milagai means "chillies or dry red chillies", Killi means "broken into small pieces". This sambar has lots of dry red chillies which is broken into small pieces and added in the sambar. The dry red chillies are roasted in the oil and then cooked with boiled toor dal, onions and tomatoes. Dry red chillies soften and render their spicy juices into the sambar which makes the taste unique.

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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