InstantPot Tomato Tiffin Sambar Recipe / Pressure Cooker Tiffin Sambar / Tomato Tiffin Sambar Recipe

Tomato Tiffin Sambar / Tomato Sambar Recipe for Idli, Dosa & Pongal. Today's recipe is an easy, quick and tasty tomato sambar with Moong Dal. This is an Instant Pot Tiffin Sambar version, but it can also be done in regular pressure cooker. A quick and perfect One Pot Sambar for Idli/Dosa. I often make this sambar and one of our Family's favorite recipe too. When I ran out of time & energy to make Traditional Tiffin Sambar(Arachivitta Sambar) I prefer this super quick, simple and finger licking tomato sambar in InstantPot. Recent times, I avoid tomato skin/seeds part as much as possible in my cooking, and also I don't buy readymade Tomato Paste or Puree. Instead I ground tomatoes and filter it through a big mesh strainer which strains out all the skin/seeds and you get just the fresh tomato pulp. I use this Tomato Pulp for all Tomato based recipes. I recommend you to use Tomato Puree for this Sambar rather than the just chopped tomatoes, give it a try to taste the difference. Now off to the recipe..

Tomato Tiffin Sambar Recipe

Prep Time : 10-15 Minutes | Cook Time : 20 Minutes

Recipe Category : Side Dish | Serves  6-8

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Ingredients

1. Yellow Moongdal    1/2 cup
2. Onion   1 big (chopped)
3. Garlic   5-6 cloves
4. Tomato Puree   1 Cup
5. Carrot, chopped   1/4 cup
6. Potato, chopped   1/2 cup
7. Turmeric Powder   1/4 tsp
8. Red Chilli Powder  1 tsp
9. Sambar Powder   1&1/2 tsp
10. Salt   to taste
11. Lemon Juice   2 tsp
12. Water   3 to 3.5 cup
13. Sesame Oil   2 Tbsp 
14. Mustard seeds   1/2 tsp
15. Dry Red Chilli   1(broken)
16. Channa Dal   1 tsp
17. Urad Dal   1 tsp
18. Cilantro, finely chopped   1/4 cup

To Temper

1. Sesame Oil or Ghee    1 Tbsp
2. Methi Seeds    1/4 tsp or less
3. Cumin Seeds/Jeera    1/2 tsp
4. Hing    1/4 tsp
5. Sliced Onion   1/4 cup
6. OR Chinna Vengayam 10(cut into halves)

Notes:

Soak Moong dal for at least 10 minutes, its must for pressure cooking method.

Try to use ripe tomatoes if not to get the sour taste, add lemon juice or tamarind extract.

I prefer 2 tsp lemon juice for this recipe and it tastes perfectly with Idli/dosa/Pongal. 

You can also add tsp of powdered jaggery to the above recipe.

Using Sesame oil enhances flavor, taste and also balance the tanginess of tomato. 

Moong dal is best for this recipe. You can use any sambar powder - homemade or store bought. 

Using vegetables like carrot, potato, capsicum gives nice texture and taste to the sambar.

Few methi seeds will not give bitter taste, just for flavor. 

Method

• Wash and soak moong dal for 15 minutes. 
• In a blender, add 3-4 big tomatoes and grind to a smooth paste without water and filter it using a mesh strainer and measure to 1 cup and keep aside.
• Chop Onion & vegetables and keep ready.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker or Turn on saute mode on InstantPot, when its hot add mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry till golden brown.
• Then add dry red chilli, chopped onions, curry leaves and stir fry for a minute.
• And add garlic stir well, then add tomato puree mix well and let it cook until the puree thickens and raw smell leaves.
• After that add turmeric powder, saute for few more seconds.
• Then add chopped carrots & potato, saute for a minute and add chilli powder, sambar powder and mix well.
• Now the veggies will get stick to the bottom, so add 1/4 cup water to prevent burning and stir fry for few more seconds so that the spice powders gets roasted well.
• Then add soaked and drained moong dal mix well with the masala.
• Now add 3 cups of water, the moong dal sambar tends to thicken and also sometimes while pressure cooking might get stick to the bottom, so always add extra water.
• Add salt, lemon juice(if needed) - the tomato puree wasn't sour enough so I adjusted with lemon juice, if your tomatoes have perfect sourness then skip it.
• Mix everything well, close the InstantPot with lid or pressure cooker.
• Cancel Saute Mode on InstantPot, then turn on Pressure Cook Mode and cook for 8 Minutes.
• If using pressure cooker, cook for 1 or 2 whistles in medium high heat.
• Let the pressure release naturally. Once done open the lid, give a nice stir. If you feel the consistency is too watery, turn on saute mode for 2-3 minutes only. 
• Now for tadka, heat oil in a tadka pan, once it hot add methi & cumin seeds, let it splutter then add sliced onions, curry leaves, hing and stir fry well and add it to the sambar.
• Add a handful of finely chopped cilantro, give a nice stir and that's it Tasty Tomato Tiffin Sambar ready.
• Just before serving drizzle a tablespoon of ghee and serve it with Hot Idlis or Dosas.