Arachuvitta sambar recipe, fresh ground masala

Name: Arachuvitta sambar
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup Toor dal; 1 tsp Tamarind (gooseberry sized); 12 Small onions; 2 Green chilli; 1 Tomato; ¼ tsp Jaggery; ½ tsp White pumpkin ( or Vegetable of your choice); 4 Curry leaves; 2 tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped); Salt as you need; 1 tbsp Chana dal - 1 tbsp; 1 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp; 5 Red chillies (Spice level high); 2 tsp Coriander seeds (divided); ¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds; 2 tsp Ghee; ½ tsp Mustard; ¼ Asafoetida; 1 Sprig Curry leaves

October 2, 2007 by Raks Anand 44 Comments / Jump to Recipe

Arachuvitta sambar, a south Indian traditional recipe with fresh ground spices, smells and tastes amazing when we use fresh ground spices like coriander seeds, chilli, asafoetida, cumin, fenugreek seeds.

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🌶 Fresh ground spice powder
💭 Top tip
🥕 Vegetables
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📸 Step by step method
Recipe card

Amma makes best arachuvitta sambar as far as I know. Especially I love the one she makes for tiffin. Lunch sambar also will be great.

For me it took some time to get a hold with a perfect recipe. It has always been trial and errors. Still I loved the process of learning.

🌶 Fresh ground spice powder

For this particular sambar, the amount of each ingredient in this spice powder plays an important role. If it's added in correct measurements, it turns out perfect.

Earlier I used to add more of coriander seeds by mistake and also roasted too dark. But later realized reducing the coriander seeds measurement and roasting it just right gives best results.

Even the dals when added more will be making it bland and thick in consistency. Which will dilute the flavor and taste.

💭 Top tip

One best tip I learnt from a tv cookery show is a gamechanger for me. It is to add a little coriander seeds raw without roasting, along with the powdering fresh spice.

While the roasted coriander seeds give a flavor, the raw ones also adds it's more strong and freshest flavor when ground. Do try it if you have not.

Adding generous asafoetida gives the authentic sambar flavor. I at times use solid asafoetida too.

Using jaggery in a small trace gives perfect balance of taste, balancing everything.

🥕 Vegetables

Here are the vegetables that works best for this sambar.

Potato
Yellow/ white pumpkin
Brinjal (add to tamarind water only after boiling starts)

Below are also the vegetables which needs to be precooked and then added along tamarind instead of boiling in tamarind water.

Radish
Ladies finger - Saute in sesame oil and add to tamarind water.
Drumstick
Broad beans
Chow chow

A combination of vegetables can be used which will also taste best. Usually my favorite go to combo is potato, carrot, peas, capsicum, drumstick, yellow pumpkin and radish.

All these added only 3-4 piece per vegetable as it will give so much volume. Best method to finish off the leftovers.

📸 Step by step method

Soak Tamarind & Cook dal

1. Soak tamarind in ½ cup hot water. After that you can extract juice. Or you can simply follow the below mentioned method.

2. Pressure cook toor dal with 1 & ¼ cups water for 4 whistles in medium flame.

3. I usually pressure cook dal with a small bowl kept in middle with the tamarind + little water along. This makes extracting juice easy. You can choose any method.

Fresh spice powder for arachuvitta sambar

1. To make fresh sambar powder, heat a teaspoon of ghee or oil in a kadai / pan.

2. In order, add fenugreek seeds, chana dal, urad dal, red chilli and 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds.

3. Take care not to burn any spices as it will spoil the whole sambar. Everything should be done in medium flame with constant stirring to ensure even roasting.

4. Once the dal turns golden, crisp and fragrant, transfer to a plate for cooling down.

5. After cooling down, place it in a mixer.

6. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon coriander seeds and grind it to a powder. In between, once wipe down the sides as there might be un ground ingredients stuck to the sides of the wall.

Keep this powder aside.

Preparation

1. Prepare the required things and keep ready. Extract tamarind juice, peel onion, chop tomato.

Make sambar

Heat a kadai with ghee and add the tempering items in order.

2. After that, add onion, green chillies, curry leaves and saute till onion turns transparent. Lastly add tomatoes, saute for a minute.

3. Transfer to a pot in which you are making sambar.

4. Add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder to it and after it starts to boil nicely, add the vegetable and salt.

5. Let the vegetable get cooked. After that, add cooked dal and bring to boil. Adjust water consistency.

6. Lastly add the ground masala powder, jaggery and let it boil for 2 minutes or till the sambar gets thick.

7. Finally garnish with remaining curry leaves, coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

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