AMINA CREATIONS: SARAVANA BHAVAN HOTEL STYLE SAMBAR SADAM/ SAMBAR RICE

Hi friends, welcome back to my blog. Today, I am sharing one of the most simplest and delicious one pot rice dishes that you can easily make at home. Yes today, I am sharing the recipe of Sambar Sadam or Sambar rice. Sambar rice is yummy and popular Variety rice in most restaurants in Tamil Nadu. And by following this recipe, you get to eat Sambar Rice that tastes just like the ones you get in popular Vegetarian Restautaurants like Saravana Bhavan and other hotels in Tamil Nadu.

So if you are looking for Saravana bhavan style Sambar rice, you have come to the right place. This Sambar rice tastes as good as the Sambar rice you get there. Also this is a one pot dish, so it is really easy to cook. Sambar rice tastes best with mango pickle and pappad/appalam or any crunchies of your choice.

Do try out this really yummy recipe below to make Sambar rice at home. My family became a fan of my Sambar rice after tasting it. I hope your family too would praise your cooking after tasting this Sambar rice. Do try out the recipe and let me know your views in the comments below.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups rice
3/4 cup toor dal
1/4 cup moong dal

8 or 10 cloves of garlic
2 tomatoes deseeded and sliced into pieces
1 carrot peeled and cut into small pieces
7 cups water
2 tbsp sambar powder
2 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1 and 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small lemon sized ball of tamarind

For tempering

3 tbsp oil
4 to 5 round red chillies/ gundu milagai
handful of curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
20 small onions/ shallots

pinch of asafoetida

For garnish

3 tbsp ghee
handful of coriander leaves

Method

Wash and soak rice, moong dal and toor dal in water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Then take a pressure cooker. Drain away the water from the rice and dal and add the rice-dal to the cooker.
Add sambar powder, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, garlic cloves, salt, turmeric powder, carrot, tomatoes along with water and mix well.
Close the lid of the pressure cooker and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
Meanwhile, take 1 cup water in a pan, add tamarind and boil for a minute. This will soften the tamarind and it will be easy to extract pulp. Allow it to cool down, then mash the tamarind well and strain the water using a strainer. Keep the tamarind water and discard the residue.
Heat oil in another pan, add mustard seeds and allow it to sputter.
Add curry leaves, red chillies, shallots and saute for sometime till the shallots turn golden.
Add asafoetida and mix well.
Switch off the gas and keep the tempering mix ready.
Once the steam has escaped, open the lid and coarsely mash it with a ladle.
Add tamarind pulp and 1 or 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Close a lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes in medium flame.
Next add the tempering and mix well.
Finally add ghee and coriander leaves and give a mix.
Check for taste. Add salt if necessary.
The Sambar sadam has a porridge like consistency that is neither too thick nor too watery. So add water as needed and bring to a boil.
Switch off the gas and transfer the Sambar Sadam to a serving bowl.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Pappad or any other crunchies of your choice.