Arachuvitta Sambar is a traditional South Indian style sambar made using toor dal along with vegetables, freshly roast and grind spices and tempering items. Arachuvitta Sambar is very aromatic and flavorful which goes well with rice and can be served as side dish for idli and dosa too. Learn to make Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Arachuvitta Sambar is a very popular flavorful side dish made for rice, idli, dosa etc. Sambar is a staple in South Indian homes prepared at least once a week. I make sambar for lunch to pair it with rice and use the leftovers for dinner with idli or dosa.
About Arachuvitta Sambar
‘Arachuvitta’ in tamil means ground and ‘Sambar’ is lentils curry with vegetables. In this sambar we roast and grind spices fresh and add it and that is why it is called Arachuvitta Sambar. Arachuvitta Sambar is best to pair up with for rice, idli, dosa etc.
Arachuvitta Sambar is most popular in Tamil Brahmin homes. I love the flavor of freshly roast and grind spices which takes this sambar to a whole new level. My kids like sambar but this arachuvitta sambar is their favorite, they call it as hotel sambar. Yes it tastes comes close to hotel sambar so do try and enjoy!
This sambar recipe may look elaborate but when you start making it you will find the ease. And I am sure you will find it worth to try after you taste it. The extra step from usual sambar is to roast and grind spices other that that is is almost the same.
Arachuvitta Sambar Video
Similar Recipes
Arachuvitta Sambar Ingredients
- Toor dal – Toor dal is most commonly used for sambar.
- Onion, Tomato – Small onion adds taste to sambar so I always use that. Tomato is roughly chopped and sauteed well until raw smell leaves.
- Vegetables – You can use any vegetable of your choice. I have used only carrot here, You can either use brinjal or drumstick or a combination of these.
- Tamarind – Extract tamarind water / pulp by soaking dry tamarind in hot water.
- Roast and grind spices – Coriander seeds, chana dal, coconut, red chilies, raw rice are roasted well and grind to a coarse mixture.
- Tempering – A tempering is made with oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, red chilies and hing.
- Turmeric powder – Turmeric powder is added while cooking dal and vegetables.
- Coriander leaves – Coriander leaves is added for garnish, adds great flavor so sambar so don’t miss it.
How to make Arachuvitta Sambar Step by Step
Cooking dal
1.Take 3/4 cup toor dal, rinse it well and add to pressure cooker / instant pot. Detailed step by step post for cooking dal in instant pot is given here.
2.Add salt, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 cups water to it. Give a quick mix. Close with lid, put the whistle on.
3.Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame. If you keep in high flame it splutters a lot so its best to cook in low medium flame itself.
4.Let pressure release by itself then mash dal well with a ladle. Set aside.
Roasting and grinding
5.To a kadai heat oil – then add 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon chana dal, 5 red chilies,1 teaspoon raw rice and dry roast it well.
6.Add 1/4 cup coconut, roast for a minute and switch off.
7.Transfer to a bowl and cool down completely.
8.Add little water and grind it to a semi fine paste, set aside.
Tempering
9.To a kadai heat 1 tablespoon oil – add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 2 red chilies, few curry leaves let it splutter. Then add 1/4 teaspoon hing, saute for few seconds.
Cooking vegetables
10.Add around 15 small onion sauté until it turns transparent.
11.Add 1 tomato roughly chopped along with 1 carrot sliced. Saute until it shrinks and raw smell leaves.
12.Add required salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Add 2 cups water and let it come to a boil.
13.Cook covered until carrot turn soft.
14.Check by pressing if it is soft then done else cook for few more minutes.
Combining dal, masala paste
15.Add cooked toor dal along with masala paste along with rinsed water that we prepared. Strain and add tamarind extract.
17.Mix it well. Adjust salt at this stage.
Boiling
18.Let it boil well for 10-12 minutes.
19.If it is too thick adjust with water, add 1 teaspoon jaggery powder.
Garnishing
20.Add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves and switch off. Mix it well.
Serve hot with rice.
Expert Tips
- Adding vegetable is purely optional, you can make it without any vegetable too. Just with small onion and tomato also this sambar tastes great.
- You can replace toor dal with half and half of toor dal with moong dal too. This sambar tastes great for tiffin items like idli, dosa, pongal etc.
- You can replace fresh coconut with desiccated coconut too.
- As it uses freshly ground spices, the sambar will be flavorful even without any vegetable.
- Do not worry if your spice powder is not very fine. I usually make is slightly coarse only but the sambar comes out well.
Serving and Storage
Arachuvitta Sambar can be served with rice, roti etc. This sambar keeps well in fridge for 2 days, reheat and serve it.
FAQS
1.What is the difference between regular sambar and arachuvitta sambar?
The main difference between both is in arachuvitta sambar we freshly roast, grind spices and add it whereas in regular sambar we add premade sambar powder.
2.How I make sambar thin if it becomes too thick?
You can adjust by adding little hot water and boil it for few minutes. This way it will become thin, adjust water quantity according to the consistency you need.
3.Can I use readymade tamarind paste?
Yes you can use readymade tamarind paste, paste is thick so add just 1 tablespoon. Taste check and if need be then add little more.
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Tried this Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon tamarind
- 15 small onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 carrot
- 1 heaped teaspoon jaggery powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
- To cook dal
- 3/4 cup toor dal
- salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
To roast and grind
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon chana dal
- 5 red chilies
- 1 teaspoon raw rice
- 1/4 cup coconut
To temper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 red chilies
- few curry leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon hing
Instructions
- Take 3/4 cup toor dal, rinse it well and add to pressure cooker / instant pot.
- Add salt, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 cups water to it. Give a quick mix. Close with lid, put the whistle on.
- Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame. If you keep in high flame it splutters a lot so its best to cook in low medium flame itself.
- Let pressure release by itself then mash dal well with a ladle. Set aside.
- To a kadai heat oil – then add 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon chana dal, 5 red chilies,1 teaspoon raw rice and dry roast it well.
- Add 1/4 cup coconut, roast for a minute and switch off.
- Transfer to a bowl and cool down completely.
- Add little water and grind it to a semi fine paste, set aside.
- To a kadai heat 1 tablespoon oil – add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 2 red chilies, few curry leaves let it splutter. Then add 1/4 teaspoon hing, saute for few seconds.
- Add around 15 small onion sauté until it turns transparent.
- Add 1 tomato roughly chopped along with 1 carrot sliced. Saute until it shrinks and raw smell leaves.
- Add required salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Add 2 cups water and let it come to a boil.
- Cook covered until carrot turn soft.
- Check by pressing if it is soft then done else cook for few more minutes.
- Add cooked toor dal along with masala paste along with rinsed water that we prepared. Strain and add tamarind extract.
- Mix it well. Adjust salt at this stage.
- Let it boil well for 10-12 minutes.
- If it is too thick adjust with water, add 1 teaspoon jaggery powder.
- Add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves and switch off. Mix it well.
- Serve hot with rice.
Video
Notes
- Adding vegetable is purely optional, you can make it without any vegetable too. Just with small onion and tomato also this sambar tastes great.
- You can replace toor dal with half and half of toor dal with moong dal too. This sambar tastes great for tiffin items like idli, dosa, pongal etc.
- You can replace fresh coconut with desiccated coconut too.
- As it uses freshly ground spices, the sambar will be flavorful even without any vegetable.
- Do not worry if your spice powder is not very fine. I usually make is slightly coarse only but the sambar comes out well.
Asha
I love traditional Sambhar recipes, looks delicious. I will try when I come back home from break! 🙂
Smitha
My grand ma makes a similar sambar with all home made sambar powder. Yummy it llooks.
Ramya Vijaykumar
Sharmi, you can write about CBE on and on and on, and I can read about it on and on and on and will agree to what ever good things you say abt CBE, like water, climate, ppl, the respect they give oh now let me stop… My Mom and aunts make sambhar like this but we dont use coconut… But Annapurna Sambhar is the best…
Mahimaa's kitchen
wonderful aromatic sambar. love arachavitta sambar.
Ashwini
Love sambar with rice and a ide curry. Comfort food.
Cham
I am not a huge fan of sambar, This one looks tasty!
Nags
All hotel sambar tastes diff from the one we make at home no? I make this one following MIL’s recipe. So flavourful, like you say 🙂
anudivya
This looks better than any hotel sambar, and it has that ring to it with the “arachivita” prefix. As you said, the spice blend is the key and that is what makes it special.BTW, I am back after a long break, and I hope I can catch up to some of your recipes.
PS, I like your blog background.
Divya Vikram
The sambar looks great! I have tasted annapoorna sambar and it is the best!
Lavi
Sharmi..SAMBHAR look’s Delicious! Glad, that you tried and liked it!
iam really waiting to visit Annapoorna, have heared and read lot about it.
Kitchen Flavours
Oh wow wish i could smell the aroma of this flavourful sambar…Looks vright and yum….Love your soya chunks kurma…Carrot kheer also looks yum….
srikars kitchen
Nice sambar.. my fav dish.. looks really mouthwatering,..
Laavanya
I’m a big sambar fan and there’s nothing to beat arachuvitta sambar – the fragrance is beyond compare. Looks awesome.
Madhu's cooking gallery
oh yeah! i love this one with rice and potato curry.. delish sambar!
SJ
What you don't drench idlis & dosas in sambar?? Bad girl!! I LOVE sambar and I smother my idlid and dosas in them- so much it just looks like a big pie of sambar!!!
Varsha Vipins
One look at sambar n I am flattttttttttt..:D:D..I so so love it..drooling here da..:)
Prathibha
Lovely sambar gal…looks tempting…
Try to visit my space when u find time..
Bharathy
yeah..I too appreciate lavi’s recipes..:)..Sambhar has a heavenly taste with combined dals..thuar and moong..and I bet you have the best here :)!..
We see to it to stop at Annapoorna for a masala dosa and filtercoffee whenever in Kovai ;)..great place :)!!
veggie belly
you have made one of my favorite things in the whole world!
Madhumathi
Sambar looks very inviting..I too have bookmarked it..Should try soon..
Ruchika Bhandari
Hi,
I tried your recipe last night and it turned out to be great! I will no longer use store bought sambhar powder. Fresh powder is easy and super flavorful. My hubby loved it. I had it with your peanut chutney and idlis. Thanks again for a great recipe.
Butterflies
I LOVE SAMBAR!!!! 🙂 I can eat it day and night! It's so wholesome 🙂
Sowmi
Hi Sharmi, we all loved this sambar…. Am making this often…. Thanks for a wonderful recipe…. Keep rocking:)
Anima
Tried the recipe and came out very well i had to add a little more hing because mine had less flavour.The smell made me nostalgic 😄😄😄😄
Navaneetha
I learnt cooking through your site. It has been 7 years I constantly stop by whenever I make any dish that is made once in a while. I search recipe with sharmis passions first ! Thank you