Arachuvitta Sambar | Sambar with Fresh Ground Masala
A Traditional method to make Sambar
Arachuvitta Sambar is a traditional and an authentic way to make sambar in Tamil Nadu. ‘Arachuvitta‘ in Tamil means ‘Freshly Ground’. Freshly ground sambar masala gives fresh aroma, texture and the sambar tastes very good than the sambar made with readymade sambar powder. When we need to cook sambar in larger quantities we usually prefer making it using Arachuvitta sambar method as it gives more quantities than the sambar made using readymade Sambar Powder and also gives authentic taste.
Different ways to make Arachuvitta Sambar
Arachuvitta Sambar | Sambar with Fresh Ground Masala can be done in two ways. Both the ways are similar with just one variation of adding coconut. If you are making Sambar as a daily routine, then we don’t need to add coconut every time. Adding coconut definitely make the sambar much more richer, both in terms of taste and calories. It’s your choice to make this sambar with /without coconut
Araithuvita sambar is very tastier than the sambar made with stored sambar powder. Freshly ground sambar powder always gives fresh aroma and the sambar tastes more good than the sambar made with already stored sambar powder. Also when we need to cook sambar in larger quantities then araithuvita sambar makes more quantities than the “Podi Pota Sambar”
Tips for making Arachuvitta Sambar:
- Vegetables: We usually use mixed veggies for arachuvita sambar. Use vegetables of your choice and add to the sambar. Some of the commonly used vegetables are drumstick, carrot, potato, capsicum, ladysfinger, brinjal, yellow pumpkin, etc., Shallots give a nice flavor, but if we are preparing this sambar on festival days, we can skip shallots. We can also make arachuvitta sambar only with single vegetable.
- Sambar Masala: We always prepare fresh sambar masala for this sambar. Adding coconut is optional. We can even make this sambar without coconut. Also instead of freshly grated coconut, we can use desiccated coconut too which also gives a nice flavor.
- Dal: We usually use toor dal for sambar. We can even use a mix of toor dal and moong dal.
If you like this Arachuvitta Sambar, then you can also try other popular Sambar Recipes
- Ratna Cafe Style Sambar – Ratna Cafe is famous for the sambar they serve for the tiffin, especially the Idli Sambar. The flavor, texture and taste is very unique. People goes to Ratna Cafe especially to taste its Sambar.
- Tiffin Sambar / Idli Sambar – Idli Sambar | MoongDal Sambar is a mixed vegetable moong dal based sambar which is a perfect Side Dish for Idli / Dosa / Upma / Pongal. A perfect side dish for any South Indian Breakfast
- Hotel Style Tiffin Sambar – Tiffin Sambar for Idli/ Dosa is always a great treat to our taste buds, especially if it has the taste of restaurants. We always love the sambar served with mini idli in restaurants. It’s made using moong dal and freshly ground masala.
- Kadamba Sambar Recipe – Kadamba Sambar is one of the common and traditional sambar variety in Tamil Nadu. We make Kadamba sambar for festivals. Mixed vegetables are cooked in tamarind gravy along with freshly ground coconut spice paste.
Recipe Card to make Sambar
Arachuvitta Sambar | Sambar with Fresh Ground Masala
Equipments Needed
- Pressure Cooker
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Mixer Grinder
Ingredients
- 1 lemon size Tamarind
- ½ cup Toor Dal
- 10 nos Shallots / Baby Onions (optional)
- 1 nos Tomato chopped
- 1 nos Drumstick
- 1 nos Carrot
- 1 nos Potato
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Salt adjust to your taste
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (Asafetida / Hing)
- 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves finely chopped
For making fresh Sambar Masala
- 1 tsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tbsp Split Bengal Gram (Channa Dal / Kadalaparuppu)
- ½ tsp Peppercorns
- ¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 6 nos Red Chili
- ¼ cup Grated Coconut
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 slit Green Chili
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak tamarind in warm water for about 10 mins. Extract the juice and set it aside
- Wash the Toor dal. Add turmeric powder and water till the dal is immersed in water. Pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles and switch off the flame. Once the pressure is completely released open the cooker. Mash the cooked dal and set it aside
Preparing Sambar Masala
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the grinding ingredients other than coconut and fry them till the dal turns light brown color. Cool the roasted ingredients and take it to mixer jar and add grated coconut. Grind them to a fine paste and set it aside
Start cooking the Sambar
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to sputter. Add green chili and curry leaves and saute for few seconds. Add shallots and saute in oil till translucent
- Add tomato along with other veggies and saute for 2 mins. Add 1 cup water and cook the vegetables till they are cooked. Drumstick vegetables won't cook any further once tamarind is added. Please ensure that the vegetable is cooked before adding the tamarind
- When the vegitables are cooked add tamarind extract along with salt and asafoetida. Allow the tamarind to boil (for about 5 minutes in medium flame) till its raw smell goes off
- When the raw smell of tamarind goes off, add mashed dal and mix well. Allow the sambar to boil for a minute. Add the fresh sambar masala and stir well. Add water to adjust the consistency of sambar.
- Boil the sambar in medium flame for about 2 mins. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
Ready to Serve!
- Serve the delicious Arachuvitta Sambar | Sambar with Fresh Ground Masala with hot steaming rice along with ghee and relish this yummy sambar
Notes
- You can make this sambar without shallots / onions. For festival we used to make sambar but without onion (no onion - no garlic)
- You can add the vegetables of your choice in the Sambar. The common vegetables are Brinjal, Lady's Finger, Drumstick, Potato, Raw Banana, Carrot, Capscium, etc., You can choose the vegetables that you like and use it.
- Make sure that Drumstick is cooked completely before you add Tamarind. Drumstick won't cook nicely in Tamarind water.
Nutritional Info
Instructions with step by step pictures
- Wash the Toor dal. Add turmeric powder and water till the dal is immersed in water. Pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles and switch off the flame. Once the pressure is completely released open the cooker. Mash the cooked dal and set it aside
- Soak tamarind in warm water for about 10 mins. Extract the juice and set it aside
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the grinding ingredients other than coconut and fry them till the dal turns light brown color. Cool the roasted ingredients and take it to mixer jar and add grated coconut. Grind them to a fine paste and set it aside
- Chop the vegetables and keep it ready. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to sputter. Add green chili and curry leaves and saute for few seconds. If you are using shallots, then add shallots and sauté in oil till translucent
- Add tomato along with other veggies and saute for 2 mins. Add 1 cup water and cook the vegetables till they are cooked. Drumstick vegetables won’t cook any further once tamarind is added. Please ensure that the vegetable is cooked before adding the tamarind.
- When the vegitables are cooked add tamarind extract along with salt and asafoetida. Allow the tamarind to boil (for about 5 minutes in medium flame) till its raw smell goes off
- When the raw smell of tamarind goes off, add mashed dal and mix well. Allow the sambar to boil for a minute. Add the fresh sambar masala and stir well. Add water to adjust the consistency of sambar.Boil the sambar in medium flame for about 2 mins. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve the yummy Sambar (Araithuvita Sambar) with hot steaming rice topped with a spoon of ghee and enjoy!
thanks for rectifying!!
Coconut is not required for Grinding with the fried items?
Kindly Clarify
-Subha
Hi Subha
For joint families or if we have more guests coming, instead of using sambar powder, if we grind the ingredients and add it then we will get more quantity. So i have given this recipe. I have included coconut in another recipe 'onion sambar'
Yes Mami, Onion Sambar I read after posting this comment
Thanks.. Will try Onion Sambar (without Sambar podi) this weekend
Thanku
Subha
mami, i tried araithuvita onion sambar with sambar podi. is it correct?
Hi
For araithuvita onion sambar, u can use use sambar podi, but still u should use the grinding ingredients as coconut is important for this. Try this and let me know your comments.
Thanks
mami, yes i tried with sambar podi for araithuvita onion sambar but it tasted like brinjal pitlai. so wanted to clarify as to what went wrong
Hi Lalitha, for Pitlai, we use urdal and also we fry the grated coconut till it turns red color. But for this onion sambar, we dont fry the coconut and we dont use urdal. Please try again and let me know your comments.
namaskar amma give me ditails on daily food
Maami: Have you used brinjal in the recipe you have shown as pics? It is not mentioned in the recipe. How much brinjal do you add?
Namaskaram maami,
Your recipes used to have the ingredients quantity before. It was so convenient. Now I can’t see the quantities of ingredients. Please change to the older version. Also I think some recipes have been changed and are no longer traditional versions. You are my guide for traditional recipes. I can’t see your name on the recipes as well these days. Have you stopped blogging maami?
Sorry for that Subhashini. I believe u r using mobile device to view the recipe. Is that correct? In the mobile version, the ingredients are shown in a collapsed way. There is a + button near the ingredients which has to be expanded to view it. I will work with the template and make sure the ingredients are visible by default/.
Toor Dal is not Pigeon peas.
Toor dal used in sambar is split and husked lentils.
Pigeon Peas is Tuvar dal in Hindi or Pattani in Malayalam and Tamil
I am from Palakkad, Aracha Vartha Sambar (Malayalam) is the only sambar made in my home. No pedi ever.
Oh sorry I will correct it sir. Thanks for explaining
Tadka for sambhar is always given at the end.
No necessary to always do at end. My MIL is cooking for the past 50 years and she always start with tadka.