Sambar Rice Recipe | Sambar Sadam Recipe

Sambar rice is a simple meal made by cooking sambar with rice and seasoning spices. You can serve it with papad or vadagam. You can add vegetables of your choice to sambar rice. It is also common in small meals in restaurants. You can make it easily at home without much effort.

This sambar rice is a complete meal in a bowl as it combines soft mashed rice with thick vegetable sambar. The texture should be slightly sticky and not dry, so cook the rice and dal very soft for best results. This is a good choice when you want a simple and satisfying meal for your family.

About Sambar Rice

Sambar rice is a traditional one-pot dish in which cooked rice and dal are mixed with sambar rather than served separately. This saves time and gives a mixed taste in every spoon. Toor dal gives thickness to the dish, and tamarind adds a slightly spicy flavor that balances the spices and overall taste.

You can add vegetables like carrots, brinjal, beans and shallots to it. These provide flavor and nutrition, and also cook the vegetables until soft but not overcooked. Roasted spice powder is important as it gives strong flavour. You can make it by roasting lentils and spices and then grinding them coarsely.

Coconut is added to the spice powder to add some sweetness and thickness. Finally, seasoning of mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida is added for aroma. The consistency should be a little loose as it thickens as it cools. If it becomes too thick then add some hot water. If needed, you can also add a spoon of ghee at the end.

I make this often when I want an easy lunch without cooking multiple dishes. It is simple and filling, and you can eat it hot with crunchy appalam.

I have tasted sambar rice in many hotels here and liked most of them. Finally after a few tries I tried to recreate the hotel taste and yes eventually it turned out very good. Sambar rice served with a drizzle of ghee is such a delight. It does not require any side dish, but some crisp snack papad or vadam would be appropriate.

Sambar Rice Ingredients

• Rice and Toor Dal – I cooked them together until they were soft. It should be mashed so that it mixes well with the vegetables.
• turmeric powder – I have added just for color and taste. If you don’t like it you can leave.
• tamarind extract – I used thin extract for the spicy taste. You can make slight adjustments depending on the sourness of your choice.
• vegetables – I chopped and mixed carrots, beans and eggplant. It cooks softly and goes well with rice and dal.
• Tomato and Shallot – I roasted both for the base taste, it adds mild flavor and taste to the dish.
• Chana dal and urad dal – I roasted them for taste. It thickens the spices and makes the dish dense.
• coriander seeds – I roasted it for aroma and depth. This is important for the traditional taste.
• Fenugreek and dried red chilli – I added a small amount while frying. It gives mild bitterness and spice balance.
• Coconut – I have roasted it with spices and ground it. This gives mild sweetness and thickness to the sambar mixture.
• coriander leaves – I have chopped it at the end for fresh taste. It tastes good when mixed hot.
• Mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida – Finally, to temper the ghee, I added them separately.
• oil and ghee – I have added ghee just to fry the vegetables and to give nice aroma at the end.

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How to make Sambar Rice step by step

1. Dry roast the ingredients (except coconut) listed under ‘To roast and grind’ until golden brown. Then add coconut and fry until the coconut dries.

2. Transfer to a mixer jar and grind the mixture coarsely, keep aside. Now get ready with your vegetables.

3.Wash the rice and lentils thoroughly, drain the water and cook with the prescribed amount of water on low medium flame for 5 whistles.

4. Roughly chop the vegetables and keep aside. After the pressure is released, mash the rice well with a ladle.

5. Now heat oil in a pan and add small onions and fry for 2 minutes, then add tomatoes and fry until soft and raw smell goes away. Now add all the other vegetables along with turmeric powder. Fry for 2 minutes.

6. Now add 1.5 cups of water and cook until the vegetables become soft, cook for one whistle and then let it boil for a while. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the spice mixture.

7.Add salt, tamarind extract and let it boil for 10 minutes.

8. Finally add mashed rice and dal, mix well. Mash it with a ladle. Add one spoon ghee.

9. Garnish with coriander leaves. Heat ghee in a separate kadai, add the things listed under ‘To temper the tadka’, let it splutter, then add the tadka to the sambar rice, mix well and switch off.

Serve hot immediately!

Expert Tips

• Cook rice and lentils soft – I always cook until enough whistles. It should mash easily without any lumps.
• fry spices Fry until golden and fragrant. Do not burn, it will change the taste.
• keep the consistency a little thin – It thickens with time so keep stirring it a little while switching off.
• add drumstick – You can also add drumstick, I have never eaten it but it tastes very good.
• finally tempering – Applying tadka at the end gives fresh aroma. I prefer to do it this way.
• Stir well while mixing – Mix the rice and sambar well so that everything gets mixed evenly.

serving and storage

Serve sambar rice hot with papad or vadagam. It tastes best when hot and fresh. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. While reheating, add some water to it and heat it slowly. Mix well before serving again.

general questions and answers

1.Can I leave coconut in the masala powder?

Yes, you can leave but the taste will change slightly. Coconut adds body and mild sweetness.

2.Can I use ready-made sambar powder?

If you are in a hurry you can use this. But freshly roasted spice mix gives better taste.

3. Why does my sambar rice become thick?

After cooling it becomes thick. While reheating, add some hot water and mix.

4.Can I add other vegetables?

Yes, you can add drumstick, pumpkin or peas. This is a flexible recipe.

5.Can I prepare in advance?

Yes, you can prepare a few hours before serving. Keep it a little thin so that it remains soft later.

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