Sambar Rice

This a rice dish made with mixed vegetables and sambar powder. For the vegetables, you can use any available vegetables of your choice. I used drumstick, brinjal, Ladies Finger, carrot, French beans, Broad beans, Potato, Capsicum. This rice is better served with fried appalam or any chips.

Sambar Rice

Recipe by S Kamala
Course: RiceCuisine: Indian, TamilDifficulty: Easy
Servings

5

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes

This a rice dish made with mixed vegetables and sambar powder.

Ingredients

  • Rice – 1 cup

  • Thuvar Dhal – ½ cup

  • Tamarind – Small lemon size

  • Sambar Powder – 2 teaspoons

  • Turmeric Powder – ¼ teaspoon

  • Salt – 2 teaspoons or as per taste

  • Sambar Onion – 10 Nos

  • Tomato – 1

  • Green Chillies – 2

  • Mixed vegetables – 2 to 3 cups

  • To roast and grind:
  • Red chillies – 2 to 3

  • Coriander Seeds – 1 tablespoon

  • Bengal gram dhal – 1 tablespoon

  • Asafetida – Pea size

  • Coconut gratings – 2 tablespoons

  • For seasoning:
  • Oil – 2 teaspoons

  • Ghee – 2 teaspoons

  • Mustard – ½ teaspoon

  • Fenugreek – ¼ teaspoon

  • Red Chillies – 2

  • Curry leaves – few

  • Coriander leaves – few

  • Cashew Nuts – few (optional)

Directions

  • Mix rice and dhal and wash it well. Add 3 to 4 cups of water and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles.
  • Roast in a teaspoon of oil red chillies, coriander seeds, asafetida, Bengal gram dhal and coconut gratings one by one. Cool it and grind it.
  • Soak tamarind in water and take out the juice.
  • In a thick bottomed vessel, put two teaspoons of oil and add sambar onion and fry for few seconds.
  • Add green chillies slit into two and fry for a second.
  • Then add all the cut vegetables and again fry for few seconds.
  • Add tomato cut into medium size pieces and stir fry for few seconds.
  • Now add sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt and enough water to cover the vegetables. Close with a lid and allow to cook till the vegetables are soft.
  • Then add tamarind water. Allow to boil. Make sure the sambar is slightly thin. If necessary add more water and bring to boil.
  • When it starts boiling, reduce the heat and add the cooked dhal and rice mashed well.
  • Add the freshly ground spice powder and chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything thoroughly.
  • In another small kadai put the ghee and when it is hot add mustard. When it pops up add fenugreek, red chillies, cashew nuts, curry leaves and pour this seasoning over the rice. Mix once again and switch off the stove.

28 Comments

  1. I was looking for this recipe for a long time.Thanks for posting this.

  2. Hi Subha,

    Thank you for visiting my blog. Please try and let me know your feed back.

  3. looks delicious..love this one pot meal

  4. Looks very yummy! Always in the mood for this 🙂

  5. Hi kamala,
    I tried this recipe last sunday and it was a hit.
    My husband and my son liked a lot
    Thanks
    Arthy

  6. Hi Arthy,

    Thank you for your feed back. Nice to hear that your husband and son liked this.

  7. Would love to see some recipes for kids especially I have a 14 month old and would like to give her some variety in her food.

    going to try your oats idli, oats pongal and kaikari idli for her.
    Would love to see some more recipes.

  8. Hi Kamala Aunty,

    I tried this recipe and the sambhar rice came out really well.. a perfect recipe for all the leftover veggies. I added brocolli in addition to the vegetable list. loved it . Thanks a lot 🙂

  9. Hai Mam ,

    tried this sambarsadham. its really nice . same taste of our kuladevath.s Thaligai…….. Thank U so much….

  10. hi kamala

    tried your recipe of sambar sadam … it turns out very good

  11. What is Thuvar dahl? What kind of rice did you use? And as far as mustard, what do you mean? Like mustard powder?

    • Thuvar dhal is “Red Gram dhal”. Rice I used is “Raw Rice” which you get it in Indian stores. Mustard is the seed and when we add it to the hot oil, it starts crackling and gives nice flavour to the dish.

  12. A couple more questions! The dhal, did you measure the half cup out uncooked or cooked?

  13. I tried Sambar rice following your tips and it came out so nice that my wife, son and I just loved it. Thanks a lot, Kamala!

  14. what is sambar onion , can you please let me know

    • Hi Anita,

      It is the small size “Pearl Onion”. It is normally called in South India as Sambar Onion, because for every type of sambar we add this onion.

  15. Aarthi Senthil

    Wow it was awesome! Tasted just like Saravana Bhavan sambar rice!
    Thank you

  16. I tried your recipe. Came very well. Thank u. First time in preparing a rice recipe,instant hit. Got good appreciation from husband. Credit goes to u mam.

  17. Usha ranganathan

    Can u give the recipe for porull Vilanga urundai

  18. Yet another awesome recipe. Comes out well every single time. Thanks

  19. Hi,

    I can replace ” To roast & Grind” with sambar powder and add coconut, cashews etc? Pl. Suggest

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