This Kerala Sambar (Varutharacha Sambar) is made using lentils, vegetables, tamarind, and freshly ground coconut masala. Try this traditional recipe at home (vegan, can be easily made gluten-free).
Here are some more Kerala recipes that you may like – Kerala Parotta, Moru Curry, Ulli Theeyal, Kerala Style Pineapple Pachadi, Kerala Rasam, Kerala Style Ginger Chutney, and Sambaram.
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About Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar
Kerala Sambar, traditionally known as Varutharacha Sambar is a tangy and spicy lentil recipe from the state of Kerala (South India).
Varuthuracha means roasted and ground coconut paste. Kerala Sambar has this freshly ground coconut paste added to it and hence the name.
Kerala sambar is easy to make and uses simple pantry ingredients. It is loaded with amazing flavors and I can assure you that once you have a sip of this lentil curry, you will be hooked to it.
Kerela sambar is served with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee in Kerala households. It also tastes great with breakfast recipes such as idli, dosa, vada, or uttapam.
You can cook the lentils in either a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. I am sharing both methods in the post below, choose the one that suits you the best.
I make this Kerala style varutharacha sambar recipe in my 6-quart instant pot or 3.5-liter pressure cooker. You can scale the recipe but make it in bigger pots. The time of cooking will remain the same.
Ingredients
For The Sambar
Lentils – Just like most sambar recipes, this Kerala sambar recipe also uses toor dal (pigeon peas lentils). You can replace tuvar dal with yellow moong dal or pink masoor dal also.
Veggies – You can add any vegetable of your choice to the Kerala sambar recipe. I have added carrots, drumsticks, potatoes, brinjal, pumpkin, and tomatoes, but you can also add cauliflower, bottle gourd, french green beans, etc.
This recipe is a great way to use up all the leftover veggies sitting in your fridge.
Tamarind – Tamarind pulp is used to add tanginess to the sambar.
Others – You will also need turmeric powder, water, and salt.
For The Kerala Sambar Masala
Kerala Sambar is made using a freshly ground sambar masala paste prepared with coconut oil, Bengal gram (chana dal), split & skinned black lentils (white urad dal), fenugreek seeds (methi dana), whole coriander seeds, dry red chilies, asafetida (hing), onions, curry leaves, and fresh coconut.
Avoid adding asafetida (hing) to make it gluten-free.
For The Tempering (Tadka)
Kerala sambar is tempered with a tadka of coconut oil, mustard seeds, dry red chilies, and curry leaves.
How To Make Kerala Sambar
Cook The Lentils
In An Instant Pot
Rinse 1 cup toor dal well with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
Add the lentils to a 6-quart instant pot along with 4 cups of water, 2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, and stir gently.
Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 10 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Mash the lentils with the back of a ladle.
Note – To cook the lentils in a traditional pressure cooker, pressure cook (in a 3.5-4 liters cooker) for 1 whistle on high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
Make The Kerala Sambar Masala Paste
While the lentils are cooking, make the sambar masala paste.
Heat 3 tablespoon coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon chana dal and 2 teaspoon white urad dal and fry till they turn golden brown, stirring frequently.
Add
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 5-6 whole dry red chilies (stalks removed)
- ½ teaspoon asafetida
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions
- 15-20 curry leaves
and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add ½ cup grated fresh coconut and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and let the masala cool down to room temperature.
Once the masala is cooled, add it to a blender along with ½ cup water and blend to make a smooth paste.
Make The Sambar
Add the masala paste to the cooked dal in the instant pot and mix well.
Add
- 4 cups of mixed vegetables (I used a mix of carrots, potatoes, brinjal, and yellow pumpkin, cut into ½-inch cubes)
- drumsticks (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
to the pot and mix well. Close the lid again.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 3 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Stir in 3 tablespoon tamarind pulp.
Add more water if the sambar is thick for your liking.
Check for salt and tamarind pulp and add more if required.
Note – If cooking the sambar in a traditional pressure cooker, then pressure cook for 3 whistles on high heat.
Temper The Sambar
Heat 2 tablespoon coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 3-4 whole dry red chilies, and 12-15 curry leaves, and fry for 4-5 seconds.
Pour the tempering over the sambhar and mix well.
Serve hot with rice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Kerala Sambar with simple steamed rice topped with a dollop of ghee and papad (Elai Vadam) on the side.
You can also serve your choice of poriyal or thoran on the side for a complete meal.
It can also be served for breakfast with idli, dosa, vada, uttapam, or pongal.
Storage Suggestions
Kerala Sambar will last for 3-4 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan or microwave until nice and warm before serving.
It is freezer friendly too! You can freeze it for up to 4 months. Thaw and reheat before serving again.
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Recipe Card
Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar Recipe
Ingredients
For The Sambar
- 1 cup Pigeon peas lentils (toor dal)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 4 cup mixed vegetables (I used a mix of carrots, potatoes, brinjal, and yellow pumpkin, cut into ½-inch cubes. and drumsticks cut into 2-inch pieces.)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tamarind pulp
For The Sambhar Masala
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons Bengal gram (chana dal)
- 2 teaspoons split & skinned black lentils (white urad dal)
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds (dhaniya)
- 5-6 whole dry red chiies
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions
- 15-20 curry leaves
- ½ cup grated fresh coconut
For The Tempering
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3-4 whole dry red chilies
- 12-15 curry leaves
Instructions
Cook The Lentils
- Rinse the lentils well with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
- Add the lentils to a 6-quart instant pot along with 4 cups of water, salt, and turmeric powder, and stir gently.
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 10 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
- Mash the lentils with the back of a ladle.
- Note – To cook the lentils in a traditional pressure cooker, pressure cook (in a 3.5-4 liters cooker) for 1 whistle on high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
Make The Sambar Masala Paste
- While the lentils are cooking, make the sambar masala paste.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add chana dal and urad dal and fry till they turn golden brown, stirring frequently.
- Add fenugreek seeds, whole coriander, seeds, dry red chilies, asafetida, onions, and curry leaves, and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add coconut and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the masala cool down to room temperature.
- Once the masala is cooled, add it to a blender along with ½ cup water and blend to make a smooth paste.
Make The Sambar
- Add the masala paste to the cooked dal in the instant pot and mix well.
- Add the vegetables and tomatoes to the pot and close the lid again.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 3 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
- Stir in the tamarind pulp.
- Add more water if the sambar is thick for your liking.
- Check for salt and tamarind pulp and add more if required.
- Note – If cooking the sambar in a traditional pressure cooker, then pressure cook for 3 whistles on high heat.
Temper The Sambar
- Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, dry red chilies, and curry leaves and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the sambhar and mix well
- Serve hot with rice.
Nipoon Mankad
Fantastic….. since a long time was wanting to make sambhar Kerala style….since I have a Kerala connection, and being a gujju i’am a foodie to the core. Thank you very much for the recipe. 🙏🙏….. and by the way we are from the same profession……. except that i’am a dental technician.