This Instant Sambar with Vegetables recipe is a quick and easy alternative to traditional sambar. Spice paste with lentils & spices makes the sambar thick, flavorful and taste almost like the original version. Perfect to serve with idli, dosa or even rice.
For the last day of this week’s BM theme, ‘Instant dishes’, I have a quick and easy version of traditional sambar. There is no need to cook dal/ lentils like in regular version. This saves more than half the cooking time.
Traditional Sambar vs Instant Sambar:
In the traditional sambar recipe, toor (pigeon peas) or masoor (red lentils) dal is cooked until mushy and very tender. It is then simmered with vegetables and sambar masala for the flavors to mingle.
In this instant version, lentils and spices are lightly toasted until aromatic and ground into a paste. This is then simmered with vegetables and tamarind paste until thick and delicious. It has all the flavors of slow simmered sambar but without the extra step of cooking dal.
Ingredients for Spice Paste:
To make this instant sambar, the following ingredients are cooked until fragrant and ground to a smooth paste:
- Lentils (a combination of chana, toor & urad)
- Spices (coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cloves & fenugreek seeds)
- Dry red chilis
- Fresh grated coconut (if using dry grated coconut, then soak it in hot water for 15~20 minutes)
- Onion & Tomato
Instant Sambar with Vegetables:
The simplest way to make this would be to simmer the spice paste with water until thick. Adding veggies makes the dish more substantial and even more delicious. I added onions, carrot and green pepper. But feel free to add any veggie you have on hand. Sweet potato, drumsticks, green beans, potato etc. will work great here.
I served the sambar with some Jowar idli. It was a filling, healthy and delicious weekend breakfast.
Tips & Ideas:
- Spice paste can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- Change up the veggies to anything you have on hand – sweet potato, drumsticks, green beans, potato etc. will work great here.
Instant Sambar with Vegetables
Equipment
- Blender/ Food Processor
Ingredients
For the Spice Paste:
- 1 tsp Oil
- 6 Dry Red Chilies
- 2 Cardamom pods
- 2 Cloves
- 2 tsp Coriander seeds
- ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 2 tbsp Chana Dal
- 2 tbsp Toor dal
- 1 tbsp Urad dal
- 1 tsp Rice
- 1 Small Onion, chopped
- 2~3 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup Fresh Coconut
Other Ingredients for Instant Sambar:
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tsp Asafoetida/ Hing
- 2 Green Chilies
- 6~8 Curry leaves
- 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
- 1 Small Carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 Small Green Pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp Tamarind paste
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 2 tsp Jaggery
- To taste Salt
- 2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
Make the Spice Paste:
- In a saucepan, heat oil and add chilies, cardamom, cloves, coriander & fenugreek seeds, dals and rice. Once the seeds and spices start to toast and get fragrant, add coconut and cook for 1~2 minutes.
- Next add onion and tomato. Cook till the tomatoes are turn soft and almost mushy, about 3~4 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly before grinding into a smooth paste.
Make Sambar:
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil, add mustard and cumin seeds and once they start to splutter asafoetida, green chilis and curry leaves.
- Next add the onions, carrot and peppers. Cook on medium flame until the veggies are tender, about 8~10 minutes.
- Add the spice paste, tamarind paste, salt and 2 cups – bring the sambar to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5~6 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with idli/ dosa or rice.
Notes
- Spice paste can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- If you are not a big spice lover, then skip the ‘spicy’ spices – cloves and cardamom to tone down the spiciness.
- Change up the veggies to anything you have on hand – sweet potato, drumsticks, green beans, potato etc. will work great here.
Nutrition
Check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for Blogging Marathon.
saraswathi Tharagaram
what a great way to make sambhar instantly with dry pulses! I can prepare this ahead when i am planning for family outing! Awesome recipe Pavani!
Lata Lala
What a fabulous idea to make instant sambhar Pavani. This is such a helpful post with detailed information about making it.
Thank you for sharing.
Vandana
Loved your instant recipe of Sambhar. Sambhar is loved by everyone in my family so cooked quite often. Next time, I will try your version.
Sujata Roy
Loved the idea of making instant sambhar. So useful post. Sambhar looks flavorful and superbly delicious. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe.
Mayuri Patel
This instant version of sambar sounds interesting. The roasted lentils must be adding a different flavor as opposed to the boiled lentils. Will try this recipe out as soon as possible.Adding different veggies makes it so much more nutritious.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
I remember trying something like this, but it wasn’t as elaborate nor as lovely as yours! Even though instant, the list of ingredients actually wouldn’t make you miss the actual sambar… Lovely for those days when you need a quick fix…
Amara
The list of ingredients that went into the spice paste is really flavourful Pavani, I’m sure the sambar tasted delicious. A perfect recipe for busy days.
Harini Rupanagudi
That is definitely very flavorful, Pavani. I will note down this version and make it as soon as tomorrow 🙂
Jayashree T.Rao
This will be ideal to make for breakfast along with idli. Shall try this one for sure Pavani. Thanks for sharing it. Looks delicious !
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
What a fabulous idea of Instant sambar just in few minutes. A perfect recipe for busy mornings, just a question of how long this paste can stay fresh or can you freeze it?
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Pavani, we can never have enough of different kinds of sambhar. Love the delicious and spicy sambhar. I have never used cardamom in my sambhar spice mix. I will try it next time.
sapana
Wow, I never knew there is instant sambhar recipe as well, it sure would save a lot of time if the spice is prepared beforehand. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Geetha
Instant sambar is such a handy recipe on busy days. The spices that has gone into paste sounds so much flavourful. Bookmarking this recipe to try sometime soon.
NARMADHA
Instant sambar with freshly grounded masala must taste so delicious. With little preparation ahead this can be breezy to make.
Arya
I was super excited to try this but had my concerns about adding 2 whole cardamom pods and 2 whole cloves so I reduced it to one each but the taste was still overpowering… Edible sambhar and I wish I hadn’t added those at all. A small stick of cinnamon might have added better taste. This is for those wondering like me.
cookshideout
Hi Arya, I am sorry to hear that the recipe did not work out for you. I will add a tip about skipping the whole spices. Thank you for your feedback.