South Indian One Pot Sambar Rice Recipe

hese quick and easy one dish recipes are simple enough for any meal of the day. Sambar Rice Recipe is a one dish recipe that South Indians love as a comforting soul food for lunch and dinner.

Archana's Kitchen
South Indian One Pot Sambar Rice Recipe
21782 ratings.

Combine simple ingredients into one dish for a complete meal that doesn't require extra work. These quick and easy one dish recipes are simple enough for any meal of the day. Sambar Rice Recipe is a one dish recipe that South Indians love as a comforting soul food for lunch and dinner. 

This recipe has vegetables and lentils, making it a perfect meal. Sambar rice recipe, comparatively is lighter and simpler than Bisibele bath, and a recipe that has intense flavors of freshly ground masala paste that makes it stand out and no wonder this recipe is so popular in South India.

Serve Sambar Rice Recipe along with Elai Vadam RecipeMango Pickle, and Carrot and Beans Poriyal Recipe for a complete meal.

If you like this recipe, try more recipes like

  1. Kathirikai Pitlai Recipe (South Indian Tangy & Spicy Eggplant Curry )
  2. Chettinadu Style Potato Kaarakozhambu Recipe
  3. Nuggekai Kharbyaali Recipe (North Karnataka Spiced Drumstick Sambar)

Course: Main Course
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep in

20 M

Cooks in

45 M

Total in

65 M

Makes:

4 Servings

Ingredients

    For the Masala Paste
  • 1 teaspoon Ghee
  • 2 tablespoons Chana dal (Bengal Gram Dal)
  • 1 tablespoon White Urad Dal (Split)
  • 1 tablespoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon Methi Seeds (Fenugreek Seeds)
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)
  • 4 Dry Red Chillies
  • 1/4 cup Fresh coconut , Roughly chopped
  • For Sambar Rice: 
  • 1 cup Rice , (Sona Masuri Variety)
  • 1/2 cup Pink Masoor Dal (Split)
  • 1/4 cup Potato (Aloo) , cubed
  • 1/4 cup Green beans (French Beans) , chopped
  • 1/4 cup Bottle gourd (lauki) , chopped
  • 1/2 cup Onion , sliced
  • 2 teaspoons Ghee
  • 2 teaspoons Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 2 Dry Red Chillies
  • 1 Green Chilli , slit
  • 1/8 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • 1/3 cup Tamarind Water
  • 1 tablespoon Jaggery
  • 4 cups Water
  • Salt , to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , chopped

How to make South Indian One Pot Sambar Rice Recipe

Preparing Masala Paste
  1. To begin making South Indian One Pot Sambar Rice Recipe, heat a small saucepan with a teaspoon of ghee.

  2. Once the ghee is hot, add chana dal, urad dal and Fenugreek seeds. Fry them on a low to medium heat until golden and aromatic.

  3. Later stir in the coriander and Mustard seeds. Saute them for a minute or so until fragrant.

  4. Lastly, stir in the red chillies and coconut pieces.

  5. Saute well, transfer on to a plate and cool them to room temperature. 

  6. Add enough water and grind into a thick paste. Set this aside until required.

Preparing One Pot Sambar Rice Recipe
  1. Wash and soak the rice and dal in enough water for 20 minutes.

  2. Drain the water and add it to a pressure pan/cooker along with chopped vegetables (carrots, potato, beans, bottle gourd etc), turmeric and about 4 cups of water.

  3. Cook them for 4 whistles until soft but not mushy.Turn off, allow the pressure to release naturally

  4. Heat a deep kadai with a tablespoon of oil and ghee.

  5. Once hot add the Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and dry red chillies. Saute them until mustard seeds and cumin seeds crackle

  6. Scoop out a tablespoon of the tempering and reserve for later. Next stir in the sliced onions, slit green chilli into the pan. Fry until onions turn pinkish in color. 

  7. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute or two or till the tomatoes are mushy.

  8. Add in the tamarind extract and bring it to a boil. Stir in the salt, jaggery and ground masala paste.

  9. Bring this to a gentle boil and mix in the boiled rice and vegetables.

  10. Mix well and cook covered for a few minutes until all the flavors blend in well. Add in the tadka and mix well. 

  11. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and switch off heat.

  12. Serve South Indian One Pot Sambar Rice Recipe along with Elai Vadam RecipeMango Pickle, and Carrot and Beans Poriyal Recipe for a complete South Indian meal.