• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cooking 4 all Seasons logo

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Navaratri Special
  • Our other Website: Spice your Life!
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes ~ Indian and International
  • Navaratri / Navratri – Special
  • ×

    Home » Vegetarian Side Dishes » Thakkali Sambar Recipe | How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#65

    Thakkali Sambar Recipe | How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#65

    Published: Sep 19, 2011 · Modified: Sep 23, 2020 by Srivalli · 14 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    0 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    I know there is no dearth of Sambar Recipes in my recipe collection, nor elsewhere in the blog world. Yet I was pleasantly surprised trying out this recipe that sounded very different. I read this recipe shared by a friend in my GDM group. I was attracted by the name Tomato Sambar. For me, there is no Sambar without tomato and hence the name was little strange. It's like saying Vengaya Sambar, when all the sambars varieties that I make, are mostly with small onions. When one says Vengaya Sambar, they mean the one made using small onions/ Shallots. I end up making with the small onion mostly all varieties. So the name is redundant.

    Coming to this recipe, when I saw the measurement I realised it sure is different and calls for almost 6 whole tomatoes. Plus this is the Arachuvita Sambar method, meaning the freshly ground spices are used in this sambar. I simply love this way of making sambar, though on a regular day it's bit hard to accomplish. My kids love dosas with Sambar, though Athamma was telling me that when I made this for Saturday lunch, she was a bit concerned if the kids eat this or not. To what I know this must be their first time, tasting this way of sambar.

    Another very interesting aspect was the ground curry leaves. As you all know, curry leaves are very healthy. Still to what I know, most people will simply remove from the dish. That is one reason why we make podis with Curry leaves and eat at least one mudda with Curry leaf powder.

    So knowing that this recipe is going to be different, I set forth to make. I had got ripe and bright tomatoes and wanted to make the best use of it.

    What is Arachuvita Sambar?
    For those of you who are unaware of this technique, it's the method where spices like Dhania/ Coriander Seeds, Bengal Gram, Red Chilies are roasted and ground along with Coconut, Fenugreek seeds, just before making the sambar. Meaning the spices are freshly ground and added. This method gives an utterly delicious taste and aroma to the sambar and it's an entirely new experience if you are tasting it for the first time.

    Basically years back this method was usually done. Though with the busy schedule everybody seems to have now, having a ready made Sambar powder, makes the task easy for us. Still this another method of sambar is something that's truly classic.

    Going back to the basics, it helps if you have cooked dal on hand. Read How to cook Toor Dal, and proceed.
    Another helpful tip will be extracting tamarind pulp. I mostly have Tamarind Extract readily available, so that my sambar gets done pretty fast.

    Step by Step Picture Recipe

    Ripe Tomato Sambar | Thakkali Arachuvita Sambar

    Ingredients Needed:

    For the Sambhar:

    Ripe tomatoes - 5-6 medium sized
    Toor Dal / Piegion Pea - 1 cup (pressure cooked in advance)
    Tamarind paste - 2 tsp diluted in 2-3 cups of water
    Salt to taste

    Preparation to be made:

    Pressure Cook the Tur Dal and store to use as and when required (Normally Turmeric and Hing is added at this stage)
    Tamarind paste made ahead

    For the ground Masala / For Arachuvita Sambar method:

    Copra* / Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup
    Curry leaves - 10 - 15 leaves
    Coriander Seeds / Dhania - 2 tsp
    Bengal Gram/ Channa dal - 2 tsps
    Dry Red chilies - 4 -5 medium
    Oil - 1 tsp (opt)

    *Copra - Dried Coconut

    The spices, and the lentils are normally roasted in oil, while I dry roasted all the ingredients this time. Allow it to cool, and grind toa smooth paste with little water, just enough for the masala to move in the mixer The paste need not be very smooth, if it's semi smooth is also fine.

    To Season / To temper

    Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
    Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (just about 10 of them)

    How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar:

    Since I pressured cook dal just before making this sambar, I used the same cooker to make the samber. Else you can take a medium size vessel and proceed.

    Bring the tamarind juice to a rolling boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
    Then add tomatoes, which are cut in 8 pieces or more, depending on the size. Continue to simmer on medium heat until cooked.

    Once done, add the cooked tur dal and bring to a rolling boil again. Add more water at this stage if required.

    Add the ground masala and bring to a rolling boil. 

    Heat another pan with 1 tsp oil, do the seasoning with mustard, urad dal and methi.

    Finally add the fresh coriander leaves and simmer for few minutes before removing from heat.

    I served it with Rice and Bhindi stir fry

    Recipe

    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Thakkali Sambar Recipe | How to make Arachuvita Sambar / Tomato Sambar Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#65

    Course Lunch Box, Main Dish - Gravies
    Cuisine Tamil Nadu
    By Diet Vegetarian
    Dish Type Sambar Varieties
    Author Srivalli
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cooking4all or tag #cooking4all!

    More Vegetarian Side Dishes

    • Festival Vegetable Side dishes
      Quick and Easy Dry Vegetarian Recipes for Festivals
    • Chilli Paneer Gravy
      Chilli Paneer Gravy ~ Restaurant Style Recipe
    • Zero Oil Kandhari Aloo
      Zero Oil Kandhari Aloo ~ No Oil Side Dish for Roti
    • Purattasi Sani Thaligai
      Purattasi Sani Thaligai | Purattasi Padayal Recipes | Shanivaralu Panduga

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nitha says

      September 19, 2011 at 5:39 pm

      Thats new to me.. Looks delicious..

      Reply
    2. soujanya says

      September 19, 2011 at 7:10 pm

      Looks delicious...!!!

      Reply
    3. Hasna says

      September 19, 2011 at 11:50 pm

      ths one s new to me..bt i prefer arachuvitta sambhar always!!

      Reply
    4. MyKitchen Flavors-BonAppetit!. says

      September 20, 2011 at 12:07 am

      Wow!,this recipe luks perfectly yumm and set to go with steamed rice.I bookmarked it.Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    5. Manju says

      September 19, 2011 at 7:55 pm

      arachuvitta sambar definitely has a different taste than the one with the podi. Some like one better than the other. I love them both! and yeah, I also pust onions, tomatoes in my sambar..i only make one kind, the one with all the veggies 🙂

      Reply
    6. sajith says

      September 20, 2011 at 4:46 am

      Very good recipe. One of my favaourite dish. We will also try this recipe

      Reply
    7. Pavitra Venkat says

      September 20, 2011 at 5:52 am

      yummmmm...my mouth is already watering seeing the pics 🙂 oru thakkali arachuvita sambar parcel!!! 😉 tnx for sharing a lovely recipe 🙂

      Reply
    8. Tina says

      September 20, 2011 at 6:15 am

      never tried this version..sounds good...

      Reply
    9. Vanamala Hebbar says

      September 20, 2011 at 6:00 pm

      Looks nice...

      Reply
    10. Ammu's says

      September 20, 2011 at 11:44 pm

      Yum yum ...

      Reply
    11. Food Handler Certification says

      September 21, 2011 at 8:20 am

      Truly mouth-watering! Is this an authentic Indian recipe? I'm always amaze with the spices you guys put in your dishes.

      Reply
    12. CinnamonNChillies says

      September 22, 2011 at 3:31 pm

      looks mouth watering!!!

      Reply
    13. Kalyan says

      September 25, 2011 at 4:13 pm

      Just mouthwatering...looks so easy to prepare and delicious!

      Reply
    14. mycreationandinspiration says

      September 26, 2011 at 5:08 pm

      ıt's dinner time here, ı am hungry and your blog sound delicious...:)

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    srivalli

    Hi! Seasons change, yet there are some timeless recipes you can enjoy anytime. If you are sport for it, you are in the right place!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Chicken Biryani
      Chicken Biryani ~ Rice Cooker Style
    • No Onion No Tomato Aloo Sabzi
      No Onion No Tomato Aloo Sabzi
    • Ragi Sangati
      Easy way to make Ragi Mudda | Ragi Sangati Recipe Step by Step ~ Weekend Cooking!
    • How to peel Garlic and Pearl Onions in Microwave

    Most Popular Recipes

    Chicken Pakora Recipe

    Chicken Pakora Recipe | Crispy Chicken Pakoda

    Coconut Rava Halwa

    Coconut Rava Halwa

    Eggless Coffee Cake Recipe

    Chicken Pakora | How to make Chicken Pakoda | Step by Step Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy Policy
    Copyright © 2022 Cooking 4 all Seasons