Tiffin Sambhar

For cooking lentils

• ▢ ¼ cup tur dal (husked & split tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils)

• ▢ ¼ cup masoor dal (husked & split red lentils)

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)

• ▢ 1.25 to 1.5 cups water – for cooking in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker

For tempering

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil – gingelly oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil

• ▢ ½ teaspoon mustard seeds

• ▢ 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked & split black lentil)

• ▢ 4 to 5 curry leaves

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)

For cooking veggies

• ▢ 1 large (100 grams) onion – chopped or 10 to 12 pearl onions or small shallots

• ▢ 3 medium-sized (220 to 230 grams) tomatoes– chopped

• ▢ 1 to 2 drumsticks – scraped and chopped in 2 to 3 inch pieces

• ▢ 1 carrot – medium-sized

• ▢ 6 to 7 green beans or or flat beans, chopped

• ▢ 1 potato – medium-sized, optional

• ▢ 4 to 5 okra – chopped (bhindi)

• ▢ 6 to 7 nos or (80 to 100 grams) brinjals – small sized, (mini or baby eggplants) quartered or halved depending on the size

• ▢ 1 to 1.25 cups water or add as required

• ▢ salt as required

For tamarind pulp

• ▢ 1 tablespoon tamarind

• ▢ ¼ to ⅓ cup water – warm or hot

For tiffin sambar powder

• ▢ 5 kashmiri chilies or or byadagi/bedgi chilies or 4 to 5 dry red chilies – reduce depending upon the heat in the chilies

• ▢ 11 to 12 large curry leaves or 16 to 18 small curry leaves

• ▢ 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds

• ▢ 1 tablespoon chana dal (split & husked bengal gram)

• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• ▢ ½ teaspoon mustard seeds

• ▢ ½ teaspoon whole black pepper

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)

• ▢ 2 teaspoons oil – gingelly oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil

Other ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup water – to be added later or add as required

• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Cooking the lentils

• Rinse both the lentils well and then add them in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker with 1.25 to 1.5 cups water and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.

• Pressure cook the lentils for 7 to 8 whistles or 11 to 12 minutes until the lentils have softened and well cooked. 

• You can also cook the lentils in a pan on a stove top or in the instant pot.

  I recommend to soak the lentils for about 30 minutes in enough water prior to cooking them in a pan. This helps in the faster cooking of the lentils.

• Once the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, open the cooker. Mash the lentils with a wired whisk and spoon. Keep aside.

Making tiffin sambar powder

• In a small and heavy frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil. Keep the heat to a low. First, add the mustard seeds. 

• Then add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, chana dal (bengal gram), fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies. 

• On a low heat stir non-stop and roast till the spices become aromatic and golden.

• Keep aside to cool. Don’t burn the spices.

• Once the spices cool, grind them to a powder in a dry grinder or coffee grinder. Keep aside.

Preparation for idli sambar

• Soak the tamarind in warm water for 25 to 30 mins.

• Later squeeze the tamarind in the soaked water and extract the tamarind pulp. You can strain tamarind pulp and keep aside.

• Chop all the veggies. Quarter the onions or halve the pearl onions. Peel and dice the carrots and potatoes.

• Dice the brinjals and add them in water to prevent discoloration.

• Chop the tomatoes in small pieces.

Cooking veggies

• In a pan, heat oil first. Add the mustard seeds and let them begin to crackle. Then add the urad dal and sauté till they turn to a maroonish color.

• Add quartered onions or halved pearl onions, curry leaves and asafoetida. Stir and saute for 2 minutes till the onions soften a bit.

• Add the tomatoes, salt as required and continue to saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a medium-low heat.

• Then add the veggies which take a longer time to cook (carrots, beans, potatoes, drumsticks etc) and saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a medium-low flame.

• Then add remaining quick-cooking veggies like brinjals, ladyfingers (okra), pumpkin etc now. Stir and mix. 

• Add the tamarind pulp and 1 to 1.25 cups water. 

• Season with salt as per taste. Mix well. 

• Cover pan and simmer until the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away and the veggies are almost cooked. 

• If the veggies are undercooked, then continue to simmer till they are almost cooked. 

Making idli sambar

• Add the ground sambar powder which we have already prepared. Mix well. 

• Add the mashed dal.

• Add 1 cup water or as required depending on the consistency you want.

• Stir and simmer without lid for about 6 to 7 minutes or till it comes to a boil. Stir at intervals. 

• Check the taste and add more salt if required.

• Meanwhile when you keep the dal for pressure cooking, you can steam idli. Both small-sized mini idli or large idli goes well with tiffin sambar.

• While serving place the idli in a serving bowl. Pour sambar. Garnish with some coriander leaves. You can even drizzle a bit of ghee on top. Serve idli sambar hot.

• You can also garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with medu vada, idli, dosa, uttapam or even with steamed rice.