How long does Onion Sambar take?

40 minutes from start to finish. That is 10 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Onion Sambar serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Is Onion Sambar vegetarian?

Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.

Is Onion Sambar spicy?

It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.

What do I need to make Onion Sambar?

30 Small Onion (Shallots), ¾ cup Toor Dal, 2 tbsp Tamarind, 1 Tomato, 1 Green Chilli, 1 Dry Red Chilli, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Onion Sambar?

Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.

How many calories are in Onion Sambar?

About 289 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Onion SambarCook

Onion Sambar

Name: Onion Sambar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Tamarind; 1 cup Water; ¾ cup Toor Dal; 1 Tomato; 1 Green Chilli; ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Salt; 3 cup Water; 2 tsp Coriander Seeds; ½ tsp Urad Dal (whole); ½ tsp Chana Dal; ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds; 1 Dry Red Chilli; 2 tbsp Ghee; ½ tsp Mustard Seeds; 10 Curry leaves; 2 Dry Red Chilli; 30 Small Onion (Shallots); ¼ tsp Asafoetida; 1 tsp Jaggery; 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves

40 min
medium
Serves 4
12 people cooked this

Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min

Start cooking

12 steps, each one filmed. A short video for every step, so your hands never have to leave the pan.

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Also known as Vengaya Sambar, Ulli Sambar, Small Onion Sambar · Veg · Curries & Gravies, Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam

Curries & Gravies Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam Dal

Onion sambar, or vengaya sambar: shallots, tamarind and toor dal with fresh-roasted sambar powder. Medium-spicy, serves 4, 40 minutes, step-by-step video.

Low calorie

You’ll need: Pressure Cooker

Good for: Tamil New Year, Onam

Ingredients

19 items

4 people

Tamarind2 tbsp
Water4 cup
Toor Dal¾ cup
Tomato1
Green Chilli1
Turmeric Powder¼ tsp
Salt2 tsp
Coriander Seeds2 tsp
Urad Dal (whole)½ tsp
Chana Dal½ tsp
Fenugreek Seeds¼ tsp
Dry Red Chilli3
Ghee2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds½ tsp
Curry leaves10
Small Onion (Shallots)30
Asafoetida¼ tsp
Jaggery1 tsp
Coriander Leaves2 tbsp

Contains: milk, wheat.

Nutrition

Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.

Nutrient	Per 1 person	All 4 people
Energy	289kcal	1156kcal
Protein	11g	45g
Carbohydrate	43g	171g
Fat	9.4g	38g
Fibre	10g	41g
Sugar	11g	43g

Cookd masalas for small onion (shallots)

Method

1
Soak the tamarind by adding 1 Cup of water for 15 mins.
TamarindWater
2
Wash the Toor dal.
Toor Dal
3
In a pressure cooker, add the washed Toor dal, tomato, green chili, turmeric powder, salt, 3 cups of water, and pressure cook it for 7 whistles.
TomatoGreen ChilliTurmeric PowderSaltSaltWater
4
Heat a pan, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, Fenugreek seeds, dried red chili, and dry roast them.
Coriander SeedsUrad Dal (whole)Chana DalFenugreek SeedsDry Red Chilli
5
Once cool, add them to the mixer grinder and grind it into a fine powder.
6
Extract juice from the soaked tamarind. Keep aside.
7
In a Kadai, add ghee, mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chili, and let it splutter.
GheeMustard SeedsCurry leavesDry Red Chilli
8
Add shallots and saute till it gets translucent.
Small Onion (Shallots)
9
Add the ground masala powder, extracted tamarind juice, asafoetida, and simmer for 2 mins.
Asafoetida
10
Add the cooked Toor dal, 1 Cup of water, ¼ tsp of salt, and cook for 12 mins.
11
Add jaggery, coriander leaves, and mix well.
JaggeryCoriander Leaves
12
Onion Sambar is ready to be served with steamed rice.

Before you start

How long does Onion Sambar take?: 40 minutes from start to finish. That is 10 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Onion Sambar serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Onion Sambar vegetarian?: Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
Is Onion Sambar spicy?: It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
What do I need to make Onion Sambar?: 30 Small Onion (Shallots), ¾ cup Toor Dal, 2 tbsp Tamarind, 1 Tomato, 1 Green Chilli, 1 Dry Red Chilli, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Onion Sambar?: Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
How many calories are in Onion Sambar?: About 289 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Tips from other cooks

Read every tip →

RajkumarOctober 2026
Excellent output.
S
Senthil KumarJune 2024
I'm a beginner but loved your method of teaching. It's patiently prepared video to help people like me. I cooked it and enjoying the taste. Great going Cookd team
S
ShaliniDecember 2021
loved this