Brinjal Tiffin Sambar | Kathirikkai Tiffin Sambar | Quick and Easy Sambar Recipe for Breakfast

Hi Supermoms,

I am sure you will agree with me that a great accompaniment to our breakfast/tiffin makes it more wholesome and also an enjoyable meal. Sambar is one of the best side dishes to idli/dosai or any other South Indian tiffin dishes. 

Unlike the regular sambar that I make to serve along with rice for lunch, this sambar is thinner in consistency. Use the large fat variety of brinjal/aubergine that you use for Baigan Bharta or Gotsu. This type of brinjal has more water content and is most suited for this tiffin sambar. Also do not add too much of dal in this sambar. 

Let us now make the Brinjal Tiffin Sambar. 

Brinjal Tiffin Sambar :

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4

1 cup = 250 ml

Ingredients :

1 large brinjal /kathirikkai ( finely chopped)

6-7 shallots/sambar vengayam or 1 onion ( thinly sliced)

1 tomato ( finely chopped)

marble size tamarind ( soak it in hot water for 5 minutes and extract juice)

1/4 cup toor dal/tuvar dal/ pigeon peas ( wash , boil and mash well)

2 teaspoons sambar powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

salt to taste

For tempering :

2 teaspoons sesame oil/gingelly oil 

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/Kadugu/Rai

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds/methi seeds/vendhayam

1 sprig curry leaves ( roughly torn)

pinch of asafoetida

For garnish : 

handful of cilantro/coriander leaves ( finely chopped)

Method :

1. Heat a pan/kadai with oil and temper with mustard, fenugreek, asafoetida and curry leaves.

2. Add the shallots, tomatoes, brinjal , sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt. 

3. Mix well , cover with a lid and let them cook over low /medium flame till the brinjal cooks well.

Note : This brinjal hardly takes time to cook.

4. Once the brinjal cooks, add the tamarind water and 1 cup of water.

5. After 3-4 minutes, add the cooked tuvar/toor dal and adjust water quantity.

6. Let the sambar simmer for another 5 minutes and switch off.

Garnish and serve hot sambar along with your tiffin. I had made Cauliflower Masala Dosai and it was great combination. 

Chef Tips :

1. You can make this sambar as a one pot dish also, without cooking the toor dal separately.

2. Use a pressure cooker or pressure pan to make this sambar from start to finish.

3. After tempering, add vegetables, salt, sambar powder, washed and uncooked/raw dal, tamarind water, turmeric powder and add 2 cups of water.

4. Pressure cook the sambar over low flame for upto 2 whistles and switch off. 

5. When the pressure releases, open the cooker , mix the sambar well  with a ladle and garnish. 

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom