Method
- For idli batter: drain the soaked rice and urad dal-fenugreek separately. Grind urad-fenugreek to a fluffy white paste with a little water; grind rice to a slightly coarse paste. Combine in a bowl with salt and ferment in a warm place 8–12 hours until doubled and pleasantly sour.
- For sambar: pressure cook toor dal with 4 cups water and turmeric for 15 minutes until completely soft. Whisk smooth.
- In a separate pot, simmer the vegetables and tomato with 500ml water for 12 minutes until tender. Add tamarind paste, sambar powder, salt and 1 tsp of jaggery. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Pour in the cooked toor dal and 200ml water. Simmer 8 minutes — the sambar should be smooth, sour-spicy-savoury, neither too thick nor watery.
- Temper: heat ghee in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds, then fenugreek, then add dried red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Pour over the sambar; stir once. Garnish with cilantro.
- Pour the fermented batter into greased idli moulds, three-quarters full. Steam over high heat for 12 minutes — the idlis should be domed, glossy and a toothpick should come out clean. Serve hot with sambar in deep bowls, plus coconut chutney and tomato chutney on the side.
Common questions
Can Idli Sambar be made ahead?
Idli Sambar is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 45 minutes.
Is Idli Sambar spicy?
Idli Sambar as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Idli Sambar vegetarian or gluten-free?
Idli Sambar is suitable for vegetarian (and vegan if dairy is omitted) diets.
How hard is Idli Sambar to make at home?
Idli Sambar sits at intermediate difficulty — total time about 75 minutes. The ingredients are not unusual but the timing requires attention.
Can Idli Sambar be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Idli is recorded in Karnataka literature from the tenth century — one of the oldest documented Indian dishes, traceable through Saluva Gunda's recipe in 1130 CE. The fermentation technique is unusually well-preserved; the original method used in Tamil and Karnataka kitchens hasn't changed materially in a millennium. Sambar's range is staggering — every Tamil, Karnataka and Andhra household has its own sambar masala mix and ratio of dal to vegetable. The 'idli melts in the mouth' standard is what every South Indian grandmother judges by.
