Mini Idli Sambar with One Pot Sambar Recipe

Idli  is a staple food in South Indian homes. But mini idli sambar is usually served in restaurants and now it is made in almost all the homes. Here hot bite sized idlies are dunked in sambar and served with some chopped onions on the top. As the idlies get soaked in sambar the taste will be increased. In this recipe, i made a simple one pot sambar which goes well with idli, dosa and pongal.

Recipe after the picture...

Mini Idli Sambar with One Pot Sambar

Recipe Cuisine: Tamilnadu | Recipe Category: Breakfast / Dinner
Prep Time: 5 mins | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Mini Idli - 30 to 40(click here for idli batter)

For Sambar:

Toor dal - 3/4 cup
Tamarind - goosberry sized

Tomato -1
Onion - 1
Brinjal - 1, optional
Carrot - 1, small
Green chilli -1
Red chilli - 2
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam - 1/8 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - a sprig
Oil - 1 tblspn

Method:

Cut the onion into thin slices. Chop the tomato, carrot and brinjal into small cubes. Slit the green chillies. Soak tamarind in water and extract its juice.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil becomes hot, add in mustard seeds.

When mustard seed begin to pop, add in cumin seeds and fenugreek seed. Then, add in slitted green chilli, red chilli and curry leaves.

Now, add in sliced onion and saute till it becomes translucent. Add in chopped tomato and salt to make the tomato cook faster.

Then, add in chopped carrots, brinjal and saute for a minute. Add in sambar powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and saute for a minute.

Add in toor dal and saute for few seconds. Pour in tamarind extract, add little water and pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame. Once pressure subsides, add enough water and cook for 5 minutes. Check for salt and remove from flame.

Meanwhile, steam cook the mini idlies in idli maker and keep it ready.

In a large bowl or a deep plate add mini idlies and dunk it with sambar. Serve with chopped onion.

Enjoy!

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready

Cut the onion into thin slices. Chop the tomato, carrot and brinjal into small cubes. Slit the green chillies. Soak tamarind in water and extract its juice.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil becomes hot, add in mustard seeds. When mustard seed begin to pop, add in cumin seeds and fenugreek seed. Then, add in slitted green chilli, red chilli and curry leaves.

Add in slitted green chilli and red chilli

Now, add in sliced onion and saute till it becomes translucent.

Add curry leaves

Add in chopped tomato and salt to make the tomato cook faster.

Then, add in chopped carrots, brinjal and saute for a minute.

Add in sambar powder

a generous pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste

turmeric powder is added

and saute for a minute.

Add in toor dal

and saute for few seconds.

Pour in tamarind extract

Add little water

and pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame.

Once pressure subsides mash the dal

add enough water

Check for salt and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, steam cook the mini idlies in idli maker and keep it ready.

In a large bowl or a deep plate add mini idlies and dunk it with sambar. Serve with chopped onion.