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    Home

    Tiffin Sambar Recipe

    Last Updated On: Apr 6, 2025 by Aarthi

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Tiffin Sambar recipe with step by step pictures. This recipe is a vegetable stew made with lentils and assorted vegetables. It can be served with South Indian tiffin like idli, dosa, pongal.

    Tiffin Sambar Recipe

    This is the sambar which you will get in all hotels along with your idli, dosa or pongal..That will be thick, creamy and full of flavors. In restaurants they won't add any vegetables except potatoes.

    Jump to:
    • About Tiffin Sambar
    • Watch Tiffin Sambar Video
    • Tiffin Sambar Ingredients
    • Tiffin Sambar Recipe Step by Step Pictures (Instant Version)
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQ
    • 📖 Recipe Card

    This is the sambar which you will get in all hotels along with your idli, dosa or pongal..That will be thick, creamy and full of flavors..In restaurants they won't add any vegetables except potatoes.

    I actually like potatoes in my sambar, they give a unique flavour and taste to the dish.This is a special sambar recipe in which you need to ground your own spices and add to it..A great side dish for any of your morning tiffin..I hope you like it and let me know what you think.

    About Tiffin Sambar

    Tiffin Sambar is one of the easiest recipe you could make for breakfast. The Sambar is made with onion, tomato, potatoes, Sambar powder. In this particular recipe I am sharing two version of making Tiffin Sambar. One recipe is a fast instant version and the next one is a version of Sambar made with freshly roasted spices.

    On weekdays I prefer to make the instant version. And on weekends when I have a bit of time to myself I like to roast my spices and make my sambar. The main flavouring of the Sambar comes from Sambar powder and the fresh coriander leaves.

    You can serve Sambar with Idli, Dosa, Pongal, Upma and Vadas.

    Check out my Millet pongal too.

    Watch Tiffin Sambar Video

    YouTube video

    Tiffin Sambar Ingredients

    Tiffin sambar is made with basic onions, tomatoes, potatoes. Vegetables like carrots, drumstick can be added too. Sambar powder is added which is made fresh or store bought. Check out my Homemade Sambar powder recipe.

    • 1 tbsp Oil
    • 1 Onion Sliced
    • 3 Green chillies
    • 3 Tomatoes
    • 2 Potato halved
    • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
    • ½ cup Toor Dal 
    • ¼ cup Yellow Moong Dal
    • 2 tbsp Sambar Powder
    • 2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
    • 1 tbsp Coriander powder
    • 1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
    • 1 tbsp Jaggery
    • Salt to taste
    • ¼ cup Coriander leaves 
    • Seasoning ingredients

    Tiffin Sambar Recipe Step by Step Pictures (Instant Version)

    1)Heat oil in a pot.

    Heat oil in a pot. Add in onions, green chillies and saute for 2 mins.

    Saute for 2 mins.

    Add in tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.

    Pressure cook washed Toor Dal, moong dal, potatoes for 3 whistle. Add cooked dal in.

    Mix well.

    Mean while mix spice powders with some water to form a slurry. Pour this into the dal and mix well.

    Add salt to taste

    Add jaggery

    Pour in tamarind water

    bring it to a boil

    Pour more water to adjust the consistency. Mix everything well and bring it to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 5 mins.

    Make seasoning. Heat oil or ghee. Add whole spices and chillies, curry leaves. Cook for a min.

    Pour this over the sambar and mix well.

    Add in coriander leaves and mix well. Serve.

    Expert Tips

    • I like to use a mix of toor Dal and yellow moong dal. But you could use just toor Dal for making sambar.
    • You could make the Sambar in bulk and store it in fridge for up to a week.
    • Make sure you adjust the consistency of the Sambar by adding water because Sambar tends to thicken as it cools down.
    • Addition of little ghee enhances the taste.
    • Homemade sambar powder adds fresh tasting aroma than store bought. Check my homemade sambar powder recipe
    • Be generous with the coriander leaves. it adds fresh aroma to the sambar.
    • Don't over cook the dal.

    FAQ

    What is Tiffin sambar made of?

    Tiffin sambar is made with basic onions, tomatoes, potatoes. Vegetables like carrots, drumstick can be added too. Sambar powder is added which is made fresh or store bought.

    What is difference between Tiffin sambar and lunch sambar?

    Tiffin sambar is pretty mild in taste which goes well with idli, dosa, pongal. Lunch sambar has extra bit of sambar powder or tamarind is added to make it more spicy and tangy which goes well with rice.

    Why is Udupi sambar sweet?

    Udupi sambar has a addition of coconut and jaggery which makes it little sweet.

    How can I make my sambar thicker?

    Adding potatoes while cooked the dal will make your sambar thicker.

    More Sambar Recipes to try

    • Homemade Sambar Powder Recipe
    • Sambar Recipe
    • Instant Sambar Powder Recipe
    • Mini Idli Sambar Recipe
    • Sambar Rice Recipe
    • Bisibelabath Recipe

    📖 Recipe Card

    Tiffin Sambar Recipe | Hotel Style Idli Sambar Recipe

    Tiffin Sambar recipe with step by step pictures. This recipe is a vegetable stew made with lentils and assorted vegetables. It can be served with South Indian tiffin.
    4 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 256kcal

    Equipment

    • Pressure cooker
    • Cooking pot

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp Oil
    • 1 large Onion peeled and sliced
    • 3 no Green chillies slit
    • 3 medium Tomatoes chopped
    • 2 medium Potato peeled & halved
    • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
    • ½ cup Toor Dal
    • ¼ cup Yellow Moong Dal
    • 1½ tbsp Sambar Powder
    • 1½ tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
    • 1 tbsp Coriander powder
    • 1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
    • 1 tbsp Jaggery
    • Salt to taste
    • ¼ cup Coriander leaves

    For Tempering

    • 3 tbsp Ghee or Oil
    • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
    • 1 tsp Urad Dal
    • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
    • 2 no Dry Red Chillies
    • ½ tsp Asafoetida
    • 1 sprig Curry leaves

    Instructions

    • Pressure cook washed Toor Dal, moong dal, potatoes for 3 whistle. Set aside.
    • Heat oil in a pot. Add in onions, green chillies and saute for 2 mins.
    • Add in tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.
    • Add in the cooked dal along with potatoes. Break the potatoes into small pieces and mix well.
    • Mean while mix spice powders with some water to form a slurry. Pour this into the dal and mix well.
    • Add in tamarind pulp, salt, jaggery and mix well.Pour more water to adjust the consistency. Mix everything well and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 mins.
    • Make seasoning. Heat oil or ghee. Add whole spices, asafoetida, dry chillies, curry leaves. Cook for a min. Pour this over the sambar and mix well.
    • Add in coriander leaves and mix well.
    • Serve.

    Video

    YouTube video

    Notes

    • I like to use a mix of toor Dal and yellow moong dal. But you could use just toor Dal for making sambar.
    • You could make the Sambar in bulk and store it in fridge for up to a week.
    • Make sure you adjust the consistency of the Sambar by adding water because Sambar tends to thicken as it cools down.
    • Addition of little ghee enhances the taste.
    • Homemade sambar powder adds fresh tasting aroma than store bought. Check my homemade sambar powder recipe
    • Be generous with the coriander leaves. it adds fresh aroma to the sambar.
    • Don't over cook the dal.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servings | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 746IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @yummytummyaarthi or tag #yummytummyaarthi!
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    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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    IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR ANYTHING FROM YUMMY TUMMY, MAKE SURE TO POST IT AND TAG ME SO I CAN SEE ALL OF YOUR CREATIONS!! #YUMMYTUMMYAARTHI AND @YUMMYTUMMYAARTHI ON INSTAGRAM!

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    Aarthi

    About Aarthi

    Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anu

      at

      Sambhar looks yum that too without coconut for grinding ...

      Reply
    2. VineelaSiva

      at

      Sambar looks very nice.Last week we had a party one of my friend prepare same likr this.We really enjoy the sambar.I will try.So howz ur shopping going on.

      Reply
    3. Hema

      at

      Nice flavorful sambar with the fresh masala..

      Reply
    4. Anne

      at

      yummy yummy

      Reply
    5. Sushma Madhuchandra

      at

      sambar & idli are divine foods for me. Will try your version of hotel sambar sometime soon.

      Reply
      • Saravanan

        at

        If am use sambar powder mam ,I am working Saudi Arabia Tamil restaurant thats y asking

        Reply
    6. Gayathri Anand

      at

      My Mom makes similar sambhar ...love to have it with hot hot idli ..

      Reply
    7. rajkumar

      at

      I tried this recipe. it comes well. Every one in my family like this idli sambhar and appreciate me. Thanks to aarthi.

      Reply
    8. rajkumar

      at

      I tried this recipe.
      It comes well.
      Hands-off to aarthi.

      Reply
    9. rajkumar

      at

      Really nice sambhar

      Reply
    10. Suba Shiva

      at

      Sambar looks really gud.. my suggestion is.. you can take a picture of sambar in a nice and gud looking bowl .. this one doesnt look impressive.. nice blog.. will keep visiting often..
      cheers
      suba

      Reply
    11. Prami Pramitha

      at

      really i was searching for this restuarant style sambar...thanks arathi...i will try this.

      Reply
    12. Nitya Caroline

      at

      One of the best recipies.. loved how the sambar turned out.. really good find... thanks again.

      Reply
    13. Anonymous

      at

      Aarthi you have roasted the spices and grinded them as sambar powder. But i have sambar powder . Can i use them instead of roasting and grinding again.

      Reply
    14. Aarthi

      at

      @Anonymousyes u can use normal sambar powder as well

      Reply
    15. Anonymous

      at

      Aarthi can you please make mambazha pulisseri recepie plz.. love your recepies

      Reply
    16. Aarthi

      at

      @Anonymoushere is the link
      https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2011/10/nadan-mambala-kulambu-ripe-mangoes.html

      Reply
    17. Anonymous

      at

      Hi Aarthy,
      I tried this recipe with ven pongal today and my husband really love it. Thank you so much. Please give me a curry recipe with broccoli for chappati.

      Reply
    18. Anonymous

      at

      The sambar turned out to be amazing! Thanks for posting the recipe.

      Reply
    19. susi

      at

      veryyyy tastyyy sambar...i have tried it many times..never fail for me..tanQ 🙂

      Reply
    20. Anonymous

      at

      HiAarthi!
      Can we make this sambar with toor dal?
      Thanks in advance.

      Reply
    21. Aarthi

      at

      @Anonymousyes u can

      Reply
    22. Pallavi Vivek

      at

      Hi aarthi ,
      Sumptuous Sambar. Looks itself very inviting. Just one doubt , have u dry roasted the masalas or roasted them with oil ?? Kindly Help.
      Thank you

      Reply
    23. Anonymous

      at

      tried this sambar...tste very yummmyyyyyyyyyyy.........

      Reply
    24. Anonymous

      at

      Tried this today. Tasted good. Looked a bit dark for sambar though. because of the lack of turmeric powder I guess...nonetheless super yummy

      Reply
    25. Saranya

      at

      I tried this sambar it's really super,Thanks for giving such a wonderful Rreceipes

      Reply
    26. Ami

      at

      Superb recipe. I made this today and my 5year old couldnt have enough. I have tried many revipes from your blog and all were a hit. Thank you.

      Reply
    27. Lakshmi Madan

      at

      Dear Arthi... you are my saviour. I refer your blog for most of the recipes especially biryani and other non veg dishes... excellent recipes...
      trying this sambhar recipe today... in ingredients list you have mentioned as malli powder instead of seeds. Please correct it. Without referring your pictorial images I roasted the corriander powder😬

      Reply
    28. Chinnu

      at

      Hi Aarthi, I often make this sambar and my husband loves it. I only have one concern, I felt the sambar lacks colour, I add a little of turmeric powder to it. What do u suggest?

      Reply
      • Aarthi

        at

        You can add kashmiri chilli powder.

        Reply
    4 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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