How to Make Traditional South Indian Arachuvitta Sambhar (With Tips)

This is a fool-proof Tambrahm style arachuvitta sambhar recipe with veggies. It’s the 1st course in all South Indian meals & tastes best with rice/idli/dosa.

It was about time I let this family recipe out of my hands and share it with the world! This is no ordinary sambhar recipe, it has been in my family from generation to generation and we still make it the same way like our forefathers did. Let me go back a little and enlighten all those who are wondering what a sambhar is. It’s a lentil based lentil stew which is cooked in tamarind broth. You can add any veggies to this lentil dish to make it more hearty and delicious. Sambhar is mainly prepared in the South of India and every state has a different version of the recipe. However, I recently got to know that sambhar was actually discovered in Maharashtra (west of India). According to this story, the dish was accidentally invented by the Maratha ruler Sambhaji, who added tamarind while making dal soup, when his head chef was away. I was blown away with this story as this completely changed the way I viewed sambhar and the way I owned it in front of my non South Indian friends. 

One main ingredient required to make sambhar is called Sambhar powder. We always make this spice powder at home. It’s a very easy process and you can check out the recipe on my blog. Again, this recipe has been in our family since generations. Though it’s the same recipe we all follow, the way my mom/MIL/aunt make it, it somehow tastes better and whenever I get a chance, I request them to make it and send it over to me. We use this sambhar powder not just to make sambhar. We add it in curries and kootu/stew like Crispy Raw Banana/Plantain Fry Recipe, Instant Pot Flat Beans Coconut Stew | Val Papdi Kootu, Root Vegetables Kootu Recipe, Vegan Cabbage Kootu/Cabbage & Lentils Gravy and Poricha Kootu (Vegetable and Lentils gravy). Sometimes, we also add this to make rasam. Yes, I promise to share the rasam recipe soon. But yes, the recipe of sambhar is incomplete without this spice powder. For those who are unable to make it at home, do not fret. This is easily available in any Indian grocery store. 

Let me warm you here that you can hardly nail this recipe in the first attempt. You will need to try this recipe a couple of times before you can claim that you make the world’s best sambhar! The recipe may sound elaborate but trust me it’s not. Also you would have noticed that this dish is called Arachuvitta Sambhar. The meaning of this Tamil word ‘Arachuvitta’ is ground masala. The true essence of this stew lies in the ground masala paste. That is what gives this sambhar the aromatic and lip smacking flavor. Creating this masala is my favorite part of the recipe. Actually I love the aroma of spices when being roasted. It’s so comforting and reminds me of my mom making sambhar at home. Since I have prepared this dish a zillion times, you can be rest assured that this recipe is fool-proof and I will share with you all the necessary tips to nail it! First step in making Arachuvitta Sambhar is to prepare the tamarind water base. Preferably use new tamarind. You can also use tamarind concentrate which is what I use these days. 

If using fresh tamarind, soak a lemon size ball in warm water for 20 minutes. With your fingers, squeeze out the juice and strain the water. Transfer the clear tamarind water to a vessel. Always use a stainless steel vessel to prepare sambhar. If using tamarind concentrate, then directly add the concentrate and warm water to vessel and give it a good mix till it dissolves. Then add your choice of veggies. I added chopped bell peppers and tomatoes. Also add turmeric powder, sambhar powder, salt, slit green chilly and jaggery. Bring this to a boil on low flame. Meanwhile or even before you do any of the above, boil tur dal in turmeric powder + water. Once its done, add water to it and mash the tur dal well. It should not be runny but like a thick batter consistency. Keep it aside for now. Next step is to prepare the ground masala. Dry roast freshly grated coconut in a pan. You can also use unsweetened coconut flakes or frozen coconut for the recipe. Roast till it turns light golden brown. Then add oil to the pan and roast roughly chopped onions, dried red chillies, chana dal, coriander seeds, tur dal and cumin seeds. 

Roast till they release an aroma and turn golden. Be careful to not burn them. Take it off the flame and let it cool down. Then grind them to a smooth paste. Once the tamarind mixture comes to a boil, add this ground paste, mix and continue to cook it for 7-8 more minutes. The mixture will begin to froth and thicken. That is your cue to add the mashed tur dal to the vessel. Give it a good stir and take the vessel off the flame after 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Lastly give a tadka. In a tadka pan, add ghee and once its hot, add mustard seeds and fenugreek/methi seeds. Once they crackle, add asafoetida and pour the tadka over the sambhar. Serve this hot along with steamed rice and papad. You can also serve this as a side for dosa/idli/wada. If you do try this recipe, please do share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This will keep me motivated to develop more interesting recipes. Click a pic and post it with the hashtag #cookiliciousveg — I would love to see your pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

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Fan of lentils? Try these recipes then – Kale Adai | Kale & Lentil Savory Pancakes, Lentil & Rice Noodles | Paruppu Sevai, South Indian Medu Wada | Lentil Fritters, South Indian Spinach & Lentils Keerai | Kootu | Curry, Methi Dal | Fenugreek Lentil Stew, Thai Basil & Lentil Burger, Raddish & Lentil Stew, Moong Dal Spinach Chilla | Lentils & Spinach Crepes, Yellow Moong Dal with Mint & Tomato, Maharastrian Kokum Amti/Dal, Lasooni Dal Palak/Lentils Soup with Spinach & Garlic, Lentils Beet Soup with Baked Naan Chips and Sultani Dal.