Sambar Rice/Sambar Sadham

What is sambar rice/sadham?

Sambar Rice/Sadham is a protein packed, delicious, nutrient rich, healthy dish popular in South India. This favorite comfort dish is made with rice, lentils, mixed vegetables, spices and herbs.

Also known as Bisibelebath in some southern states of India, which when translated means “hot lentil rice”.

What is sambar?

Sambar, is a lentil-based vegetable stew or chowder, cooked with lentils/dhal and tamarind broth. It is popular in South India especially in the state of Tamil-Nadu and is also popular among Sri Lankan cuisines.

Is it healthy?

High fibre foods are good for heart and cholesterol. The dhal based stew is high in vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, folate and magnesium. In addition to the lentils and vegetables, the eclectic mix of herbs and spices add to the many health benefits of sambar too

What is sadham?

‘Sadham’ is a Tamil (South Indian language) word for cooked rice.

Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling. The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used to represent sadham or cooked rice.. 

What do you eat with sambar rice?

Lace the Sambar Rice generously with ghee, and serve it piping hot with crisp papadam/Indian Rice crackers. You can also serve it with coconut chutney. Butter milk or lassi goes well with spicy sambar rice as as a side drink/beverage.

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Helpful Tips for making the best sambar rice

• Rice : The popular choice of rice used in making sambar rice is the short grain white rice. However, if you prefer a healthier version brown rice could also be used to make sambar rice. Millets, quinoa, oats have also been used by some for the same health reasons. Soaking the grains prior to cooking, adds to their nutritious value.
• Lentils : you could use just one type of lentil like Toor Dhal or use a mix of lentils like Toor and Moong dhal since they each add their nutritional value to the dish.
• Sambar powder : One can use a homemade sambar powder or a good store bought one to make this aromatic and flavorful rice.
• Vegetables : The most common vegetables used for sambar rice is drumsticks in South India.If using drumsticks, please cut them into 1 inch size pieces and pressure cook them with the dhal, so they are soft and absorb the flavors easily. Since drumsticks take a long time to cook, pressure cooking them with the lentils will make them easy to chew on .However, you may also use mixed vegetables like carrots, beans, tomatoes, onions for making sambar rice.
• Tempering the curry leaves with ghee and then adding it to the sambar rice adds to the flavor.
• If you have precooked rice and sambar, just add them together and Voila you have instant sambar rice ready to go!

Sambar Rice/Sadham Recipe

Sambar Rice/Sambar Sadham

Recipe by Maya Shetty

Course: FOOD, INDIAN SPICES, MIXED VEGETABLES, SAMBAR POWDER, TAMARIND, VEGETARIAN DISHES, VEGETARIAN RICE/PULAO/PILAFCuisine: South Indian

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Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

1821

kcal

Total time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups 2 Rice

• 3/4 cup 3/4 Toor Dhal

• 1 large 1 Onion finely sliced

• 1 cup 1 Mixed vegetables

• 1 1 Tomato cubed

• 1 tbsp 1 Sambar powder

• 2 tbsp 2 Ghee

• 1 sprig 1 Curry leaves

• A pinch Asoefoetida/Hing

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 Turmeric powder

• 1/4 tsp 1/4 Tamarind paste diluted in 1/2 cup water

• To taste Salt

• 4 cups 4 Water

Directions

• Wash rice and lentils together under cold running water in a bowl or in the pressure cooker itself. Now add 4 cups of water and 1 tbsp of ghee to the rice & lentils and cook until you hear 3 whistles. The ghee not only flavors the rice but also helps cook the lentils faster, making the soft and mushy.
• Next remove from flame and set aside to cool. When slightly open the lid of the pressure cooker and gently mash the rice and dhal/lentil together.
• In a cooking pan, add the table spoon of ghee, when warm add the mustard seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, dry red chili and curry leaves, adding asoefoet/hing last to do the seasoning.
• When seasoning is complete, add the sliced onion and saute a bit till golden brown, next add in the mixed vegetables and cubed tomatoes , stir and cover with lid until soft.Add turmeric powder and salt to taste. Here you may add 3/4 cup of water to cook the vegetables until they turn soft.
• When the vegetables are cooked well, add the diluted tamarind water and sambar powder and mix them well. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the sambar powder disappears.
• Next add the rice and dhal mix to the above and bend in all the ingredients well checking taste for salt and spice.
• When the water is well absorbed and the rice begins to bubble it is time to turn off the stove.
• Serve hot with papadam and spicy Indian pickle

Notes

• If using drumsticks to make sambar rice, make sure you cut them into tiny 1 inch pieces and cook them with the lentils in the pressure cooker. This will make them soft and mushy and help absorb flavors of the sambar easily, otherwise they will take a longer time to cook.
• One can also use frozen drumsticks ( 10-12 pieces) for this recipe

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List of variety rice from South India

• Pineapple Fried rice
• Zucchini Rice/Pulao
• Spinach Rice
• Coriander Rice/Pulao
• Jeera/Cumin seed Rice
• Sambar Rice
• Methi/Fenugreek Rice
• Lemon Rice
• Curd Rice/Thayir Sadham
• Coconut Rice/ Thenga sadham
• Tomato Rice/Thakkali Sadham
• Vegetable Pulao
• Mushroom Biryani

The Bottom Line

Now that you know how to make yourself a delicious plate of South Indian sambar rice/sadham are you going to give it a try? Believe me, it is the best comfort food if you are someone who leans to the spicy side of food.

Share your feedback, if you give my recipe a try in the comments section below.