Sambar vada, a breakfast that every south Indian is familiar with. After idli and masala dosa, South Indians love to eat sambar vada as a breakfast to kickstart the day. This is something that needs some preparation before hand. Like soaking the lentils. The split black gram lentils double up in quantity after soaking and turn perfect for grinding. To make the vada flawless, grinding the batter should be done carefully. Because if the lentil’s batter turns watery, you cannot shape the vada at all. So I am always extra cautious to add water while grinding. And I use spoons instead of cups to add water.
The sambar recipe is slightly different here. The drumstick and shallots are quite essential here. They add unique aroma and taste to the sambar. The sauteed onions and coconut ground with sambar powder gives all the genuine taste. The cooked pigeon pea lentils (toor dal) when added, the sambar gets right consistency. Like thick and pour-able.
I love to devour the vada dunked in sambar and dipped with coconut chutney. It’s all amazing, delicious and tasty to start the day. If you are a South Indian, you would agree with me. If not, you need to try it at least once.
Watch video: https://youtu.be/ftBvboLlja4
Sambar Vada | Vada Sambar | Vadai Sambar
Ingredients
For vada
- 1 cup Split black gram (urad dal)
- 1 tbsp Fine rava
- 2 tsp Green chillies chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Curry leaves chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Fresh coconut chopped
- 1.5 tsp Ginger chopped finely
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 cup Oil to deep fry
For sambar
- 1/2 cup Split pigeon pea (Toor dal)
- 1 cup Drumstick
- 1/2 cup Shallots
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1" piece cinnamon
- 1 nos. Onion chopped
- 2 tbsp Fresh grated coconut
- 3 tsp Sambar powder
- 1 tsp Tamarind paste
- 1 tsp Jaggery
- 1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
To temper
- 2 tsp Oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Split blackgram
- Few Curry leaves
- 1 no. Red chilly broken
Instructions
- Rinse the split black gram lentils with enough water and soak for at least 2 hours. After soaking the lentils would be doubled in volume. Next drain all water and transfer to mixer. Include 3 table spoons of water and grind finely.
- The batter should be fluffy and thick. So add water carefully. Take the batter in a wide bowl and add salt, medium rava, chopped coconut, ginger, chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Mix everything together.
- Meanwhile heat oil in a wok in medium flame. Next, with damp fingers take a big lemon sized batter and make a hole at the center using thumb. Carefully drop the vada in to hot oil. Deep fry till golden brown. Continue the process till you empty the batter.
- To prepare sambar, take chopped drumstick and shallots in a cooking vessel. Add some water, turmeric powder and salt. Let it cook in medium flame till soft.
- Heat pan adding oil, cinnamon, sliced onion and grated coconut. Roast them together till onion turns translucent. Transfer them to mixer and add sambar powder to it.
- Grind all the ingredients to fine paste along with little water. The veggies would have turned soft in 10 minutes.
- Include tamarind water, jaggery to the veggies and let it cook for 3 minutes.. Next add ground masala to the same.
- Add cooked toor dal and water to adjust consistency. Bring it to boil and add coriander leaves. You can adjust salt also at this stage. Finally temper with mustard seeds, lentils and curry leaves.
- Amazingly delicious sambar vada is ready to serve as breakfast or snack.
Notes
- The lentils should be ground to thick and fluffy batter. So include water carefully.
- If the batter turns water, add some rice flour to troubleshoot.
- If you cannot shape the vada with hand, then try using banana leaf.
- Drumstick and shallots give unique flavor to sambar. So do not substitute them with other veggies.
