How long does Tiffin Sambar take?

50 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Tiffin Sambar serve?

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

Is Tiffin Sambar vegetarian?

Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.

Is Tiffin Sambar spicy?

It is mild: 1 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 Tiffin Sambar?

½ cup Toor Dal, 2 tbsp Tamarind, ¼ cup Coconut (Grated), ¼ cup Small Onion (Shallots), 2 Tomato, 2 Green Chilli, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Tiffin Sambar?

Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.

How many calories are in Tiffin Sambar?

About 167 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Tiffin SambarCook

Tiffin Sambar

Name: Tiffin Sambar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: ½ cup Toor Dal; 2 Tomato; 3 cloves Garlic; 2 Green Chilli; 1½ cup Water; ½ tsp Salt; 1 tsp Coconut Oil; ¼ cup Coconut (Grated); 3 Dry Red Chilli; ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds; ½ tsp Cumin; ½ tsp Black Peppercorns; 1½ tbsp Coriander Seeds; 1 tbsp Chana Dal; 1 sprigs Curry leaves; 2 tsp Coconut Oil; 2 tsp Ghee; ½ tsp Mustard Seeds; ½ tsp Urad Dal (split); 2 Dry Red Chilli; ¼ tsp Asafoetida; 2 sprigs Curry leaves; ¼ cup Small Onion (Shallots); 1¼ tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Tamarind; 0.5 cup Warm Water; 0.5 cup Warm Water; 1 tsp Jaggery; 5 sprigs Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped; 1 tsp Ghee

50 min
mild
Serves 6

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Start cooking

5 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 hotel sambar · Veg · Curries & Gravies, Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam

Curries & Gravies Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam Dal

Tiffin sambar of toor dal with a roasted coconut and coriander seed masala, tamarind and shallots. Mild, serves 6, about 50 minutes, step-by-step video.

Low calorie

You’ll need: Pressure Cooker

Good for: Pongal, Onam

Ingredients

24 items

6 people

Toor Dal½ cup
Tomato2
Garlic3 cloves
Green Chilli2
Water1½ cup
Salt1¾ tsp
Coconut Oil3 tsp
Coconut (Grated)¼ cup
Dry Red Chilli5
Fenugreek Seeds¼ tsp
Cumin½ tsp
Black Peppercorns½ tsp
Coriander Seeds1½ tbsp
Chana Dal1 tbsp
Curry leaves3 sprigs
Ghee3 tsp
Mustard Seeds½ tsp
Urad Dal (split)½ tsp
Asafoetida¼ tsp
Small Onion (Shallots)¼ cup
Tamarind2 tbsp
Warm Water1
Jaggery1 tsp
Coriander Leaves, Finely Chopped5 sprigs

Contains: milk, wheat.

Nutrition

Per 1 person, and for all 6 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.

Nutrient	Per 1 person	All 6 people
Energy	167kcal	1002kcal
Protein	5.7g	34g
Carbohydrate	21g	123g
Fat	7.8g	47g
Fibre	5.8g	35g
Sugar	4.6g	28g

Cookd masalas for toor dal

Method

1
Wash the toor dal until the water runs clear and then soak it for 20-30 mins. Add all the ingredients under “for the dal” and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Mash well and set aside.
Toor DalTomatoGarlicGreen ChilliWaterSaltCoconut Oil
2
In a pan, dry roast the ingredients under “for the masala” until aromatic and golden. Blend them into a fine powder once cooled and set aside.
Coconut (Grated)Dry Red ChilliFenugreek SeedsCuminBlack PeppercornsCoriander SeedsChana DalCurry leaves
3
In a pot, add the coconut oil and ghee followed by the mustard seeds, wait until the crackle. Add the split urad dal. Then add the dried red chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves, and shallots. Saute for 2 mins.
Coconut OilGheeMustard SeedsUrad Dal (split)Dry Red ChilliAsafoetidaCurry leavesSmall Onion (Shallots)
4
Add the cooked dal mixture, jaggery and salt. Bring to a boil and add the tamarind water. Boil for 2-3 mins.
SaltTamarindWarm WaterWarm Water
5
Add the masala powder and simmer for 7-10 mins until it has thickened. Finish with the coriander leaves and a tsp of ghee. Serve hot with tiffin items/ rice.
JaggeryCoriander LeavesGhee

Before you start

How long does Tiffin Sambar take?: 50 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Tiffin Sambar serve?: 6. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Tiffin Sambar vegetarian?: Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
Is Tiffin Sambar spicy?: It is mild: 1 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 Tiffin Sambar?: ½ cup Toor Dal, 2 tbsp Tamarind, ¼ cup Coconut (Grated), ¼ cup Small Onion (Shallots), 2 Tomato, 2 Green Chilli, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Tiffin Sambar?: Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
How many calories are in Tiffin Sambar?: About 167 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.