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Sambar vada
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Sambar Vada | Vada Sambar | Vadai Sambar

Sambar vada is a South Indian special breakfast in which urad dal vada is dunked in flavorful drumstick sambar. Delicious breakfast.
Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 8 nos.
Author: Sumana

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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 1
  • 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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 2
  • 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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 3
  • 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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 4
  • 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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 5
  • 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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 7
  • 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.
    Sambar vada preparation step 8
  • Amazingly delicious sambar vada is ready to serve as breakfast or snack.
    Sambar vada south Indian special

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.