Sambhar Sadam
Sambhar sadam is a soft, comforting one-pot preparation of rice, dal, vegetables and tamarind, richer and thicker than ordinary sambhar served over rice. The Udupi Sambhar potli allows the whole-spice aromatics to infuse during cooking and then be removed cleanly before the final tempering.
Servings
4
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
✨ Zaika Potli Secret Technique
Pressure-cook 1 Udupi Sambhar potli with the rice, dal and first batch of vegetables. Remove it after opening the cooker and before the final tamarind simmer.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Rice — 1 cup / 200 g
- Toor dal — ½ cup / 100 g
- Carrot — 100 g, diced
- Pumpkin — 100 g, cubed
- Beans — 75 g, chopped
- Small onions — 8, peeled
- Tomato — 1 medium, chopped
- Turmeric — ¼ tsp
- Water — 5 cups
- Tamarind — 25 g
- Hot water — ½ cup
- Jaggery — 1 tsp
- Salt — 1¼ tsp
Zaika Potli
- Udupi Sambhar — 1 potli
For the Tempering
- Ghee — 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds — ½ tsp
- Curry leaves — 10
- Cashews — 10, optional
- Dry red chilli — 1
Cooking Instructions
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1Wash the rice and toor dal together until the water is mostly clear.
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2Add them to a pressure cooker with carrot, beans, shallots, tomato, turmeric, 5 cups water and the Udupi Sambhar potli.
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3Pressure-cook until the rice and dal are very soft.
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4Meanwhile, soak tamarind and extract the pulp.
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5Allow the cooker pressure to release naturally.
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6Remove the potli.
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7Stir the rice and dal vigorously so the mixture becomes creamy but still retains some vegetable texture.
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8Add the tamarind extract, pumpkin, jaggery and salt.
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9Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, adding hot water if necessary.
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10The final consistency should be soft and spoonable, similar to a loose khichdi.
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11Heat ghee. Add mustard seeds.
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12Once they crackle, add cashews, curry leaves and dry chilli.
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13Pour over the sambhar sadam and serve hot.
💡 Chef's Pro Tip
Sambhar sadam thickens considerably as it cools. Finish it looser than you think necessary and serve soon after cooking.
🍽️ Perfect Serving Pairings
My Take On Sambhar Sadam
Sambhar sadam is a soft, comforting one-pot preparation of rice, dal, vegetables and tamarind, richer and thicker than ordinary sambhar served over rice. The Udupi Sambhar potli allows the whole-spice aromatics to infuse during cooking and then be removed cleanly before the final tempering.
The Secret: Sambhar sadam thickens considerably as it cools. Finish it looser than you think necessary and serve soon after cooking.