Sambar Sadham - Sambar Rice - Rice prepared with Dals and Vegetables

Sambar sadham (rice) is a quick, healthy meal which can prepared easily within 30 minutes. This sambar sadham is usually prepared with fresh vegetables, rice, dal and flavoured with freshly grounded sambar powder. Sambar sadham is a popular food in many restaurants and temples. It is also a great food for a family get together.When combining any dals with rice, you can get a protein packed dish for your lunch. Plus, we add vegetables for fibre and ghee for fat, which will give you a healthy dish for your whole family.

How to cook the rice

For the sambar sadham recipe, I recommend boiled rice and toor dal. If you are replacing the rice with millets, you can use moong dal instead of toor dal as it gets cooked easily with the  millets. The ratio is for 1 cup of rice add 1/2 cup of toor dal. We have to add 3 to 4 measures of water to cook the rice softly.

How to prepare the gravy

This is the most important step in this dish. I like to prepare the gravy with fresh homemade sambar powder, small onions and fresh vegetables. For those who are new to cooking, prepare this step with proper measurements. Because if the gravy becomes thick with more masalas, the rice will be mushy. For me, a perfect sambar sadham shouldn't be too firm. The rice should be gummy, not watery which will be the perfect consistency. The vegetables must be cooked in a good amount of water and then the grounded sambar powder are added to it. Then the cooked rice and dal are added to the gravy and mixed well. You have to temper the rice with mustard, urid dal, curry leaves and cashew nuts in a good amount of ghee. Sprinkle a little asafoetida powder and fresh coriander leaves on top of the rice. Enjoy the Sambar Sadham hot, with appalam and pickle.

Check out my other similar rice dishes

• Tirunelveli Kootanchoru
• Thuvaram Paruppu Sadham
• Kodo Millet Vegetable Bhath 

Sambar Sadham - Sambar Rice Recipe Details

Prep time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 25 minutes
Serves : 3
Category : rice varieties
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup boiled rice
• 1/4 cup toor dal
• 20 small onions
• 1 tomato
• 2 green chilly
• 1 drumstick
• 2 brinjal
• 1 small potato
• 1 medium carrot
• 5 beans
• 1 tbsp tamarind
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urid dal
• 3 red chilly
• few curry leaves
• few coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 4 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

For masala powder

• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 7 red chillies
• small piece asafoetida
• 3 tbsp coconut

Cooking Directions

1. Measure the rice and dals and add it in a bowl. Wash the rice and dals in water for 2 to 3 times and add it in a pressure cooker. Pour 3 cups of water and add salt. Mix the rice and dals and pressure cook for 3 to 5 whistles.Wash and cut the vegetables and peel the onions, slit the green chillies and soak the tamarind in hot water.
2. Heat a pan with a tsp of oil and add the chana dal. When it starts to turn brown, add the coriander seeds, pepper and cumins. Fry them well for a few minutes and add the red chillies, compounded asafoetida and coconut. Fry them well until you get a nice aroma and turn off the heat. Allow the spices to cool down and powder it nicely in a small chutney jar.
3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed kadai and add the small onions and slit green chillies. Stir and saute the onions until it turns soft and add all the vegetables.
4. After a few minutes, add the turmeric powder and tomato. Mix it well and saute for a few seconds.
5. Now, pour 2.5 cups of water and close it with a lid. Cook the vegetables on medium heat for 10 minutes.
6. In the meantime, extract the tamarind juice with 1/2 cup of water and open the pressure cooker and keep it ready to add it to the gravy.
7. Open the lid and check the vegetables are done and add the freshly ground masala powder and mix it well with the vegetables. Add the required salt and mix it well.
8. Next, add the tamarind extract and let the vegetables cook in the tamarind for a few minutes.
9. Now reduce the heat to low, and add the cooked rice. Mix it well with a ladle to incorporate well with the vegetable gravy.
10. Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a frying pan and add the mustard, urid dal, cashew nuts, red chillies and curry leaves. When the cashew nuts turn golden brown, add it to the hot rice.When you see a creamy layer on the top of rice turn off the heat and sprinkle asafoetida powder and coriander leaves.

Sambar Sadham - Sambar Rice with step by step photos 

 

Measure the rice and dals using a measuring cup and add it in a bowl.

Wash the rice and dals in water for 2 to 3 times and add it in a pressure cooker. Pour 3 cups of water and add salt. Mix the rice and dals and pressure cook for 3 to 5 whistles.

Wash and cut the vegetables and peel the onions, slit the green chillies and soak the tamarind in hot water. (You can also add fresh green peas, radish and raw banana ).

Heat a pan with a tsp of oil and add the chana dal. When it starts to turn brown, add the coriander seeds, pepper and cumins. Fry them well for a few minutes and add the red chillies, compounded asafoetida and coconut

Fry them well until you get a nice aroma and turn off the heat.

 Allow the spices to cool down and powder it nicely in a small chutney jar.

Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed kadai and add the small onions and slit green chillies.

Stir and saute the onions until it turns soft and add all the vegetables.

  After a few minutes, add the turmeric powder and tomato. Mix it well and saute for a few seconds.

Now, pour 2.5 cups of water and close it with a lid. Cook the vegetables on medium heat for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, extract the tamarind juice with 1/2 cup of water and open the pressure cooker and keep it ready to add it to the gravy.

Open the lid and check the vegetables are done and add the freshly ground masala powder and mix it well with the vegetables.

 Add the required salt and mix it well.

 Next, add the tamarind extract and let the vegetables cook in the tamarind for a few minutes.

Now reduce the heat to low, and add the cooked rice.

Mix it well with a ladle to incorporate well with the vegetable gravy.

Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a frying pan and add the mustard, urid dal, cashew nuts, red chillies and curry leaves. When the cashew nuts turn golden brown add it to the hot rice.

 

When you see a creamy layer on the top of rice turn off the heat and sprinkle asafoetida powder and coriander leaves. 

Transfer the rice to the serving plate and serve it hot.