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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
6 Min
22/01/2026
The tale of the Dandelion crayon girl goes something like this: she collected a discontinued yellow crayon from Crayola and filled her home with those. Why is that tale being mentioned? Because such is the case with sambar, where all of the sambar look the same, but differ in their taste, aroma and slightly in the spice mix too. Tasting them is like sifting through a box of crayons: familiar yet unique, each one offering a slightly different experience.
Sambar is a beloved South Indian side dish that has peak, main character energy. It is one of those dishes that seem incredibly simple, but preparing it can get tricky. It combines nutritious vegetables, the familiar toor dal, and unique spice blends that differ from one state to another. Some are thin and pourable for dipping idlis and vadas, while others are thicker, heartier, or richer with coconut or special spice blends. You get protein, fibre and a good dose of minerals and vitamins from this wholesome dal dish too. Here’s how the South does it from the kitchen to restaurants.
A type of sambar from the heart of Tamil Nadu, arachu vitta sambar is relished for its rich flavours and irresistible aroma that come from the use of freshly ground spice paste. In fact, the word ‘arachuvitta’ means ground, with the masala being made up of red chillies, coconut, coriander seeds, and chana dal. The masala is the focus of this sambar recipe with the use of just two or three vegetable varieties like brinjal, drumsticks, pumpkin or ash gourd. This is the kind that goes with freshly cooked steamed rice.
This is one of the most popular kinds of sambar that is available in Bangalore, which has led locals into several heated arguments over its superiority against the Tamilian sambar. This sambar hails from the temple town of Udupi and follows the typical no onion, no garlic style of cooking. It is tangy and sweet, but what distinctly flavours the thick soup are the sambar masala, spices and coconut oil. Swimming in the sambar, you will find vegetables like carrots, brinjal, pumpkin or ash gourd. The base of the dal is pigeon peas or toor dal, tamarind and a bit of jaggery.
A ‘Dakshini-style’ sambar that is also referred to as Huli or the Karnataka-style sambar, is known for its poignancy owing to its velvety thickness, use of fresh roasted coconut and a unique masala blend. It typically uses vegetables like chow chow, carrots, beans and ash gourd. The dal is made with the typical toor dal along with tamarind and jaggery, with the masala blend made up of roasted coriander seeds, red chillies, lentils, fenugreek, cumin, mustard, black pepper, and asafoetida. The typical curry leaves and ghee are also added for a smooth sambar that lingers on the taste buds.
The Tamilians love their sourness as much as the folks from Karnataka love their sour and sweet sambar. Tamil Nadu’s sambar is a breakfast staple, and quite iconic, with a distinct, rich yet sour flavour. This version is the one you’ll find alongside idli, dosa, pongal, and vada in homes and restaurants across the state. Made with a combination of toor dal, tamarind, and assorted vegetables, the spice mix is made from a fresh roasted spice blend often using coconut and tempered with curry leaves.
Translating to small onion sambar (cheriya ulli), this Kerala-style sambar recipe is slightly sweet thanks to the onions and tangy due to the use of tamarind. The recipe begins with the onions being sauteed until they caramelise (this is where they get sweet), and then the toor dal, tamarind and sambar simmer in a pot or kadhai. Keralites love this sambar with their rice or dosa. Like typical Kerala cuisine, this sambar uses coconut oil for cooking with roasted coconut, coriander, and fenugreek, which are ground into a paste and added to the pot of sambar.
This kind of sambar is the restaurant-style or hotel-style one, meant for ‘tiffin’ or breakfast that is much thinner than the typical sambar and is meant for dunking or pouring over breakfast staples like idli and vada. It’s a quick sambar recipe that uses quick-cooking vegetables like onions, pumpkins, potatoes, tomatoes and drumsticks. Restaurant‑style sambars often use a freshly ground masala or spice mix, and many places combine two lentils (like toor dal and moong dal) to achieve a smoother, quicker‑cooking base.
Ending this list with the most common sambar out there, you will find this in every South Indian home. It is packed with fibre and protein, and made with toor dal, sambar masala powder (coriander seeds, red chillies, fenugreek, and other spices), an assortment of vegetables (whatever is in season), the typical tamarind pulp that adds sourness and a tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds and asafoetida. This sambar goes with just about everything from rice, idli, vada, to dosa.
No matter which version you pick, there’s a sambar for every mood and meal. From breakfast-friendly, pourable heroes to veggie-packed blockbusters, each bowl tells its own story. So grab your spoon, dip, pour, and taste your way through this flavorful spectrum – because in the world of South Indian cooking, sambar isn’t just food, it’s ‘soup’er fun. A little tang, a little spice, and plenty of warmth can turn any ordinary meal into a stew-pendous experience.
