Special Vada Sambar is more than a meal—it’s an experience. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bathed in a tangy, spicy sambar, it’s the perfect soul food. Try this recipe to bring a taste of South Indian kitchens right to your plate.
🌟 IntroductionVada Sambar is one of South India’s most iconic and comforting dishes. It features crispy, golden medu vadas (fried lentil donuts) soaked in a hot and flavorful sambar (a tangy, spiced lentil and vegetable stew).Our Special Vada Sambar version focuses on balancing crispiness and deep flavor using traditional spices, a perfect texture, and fresh ingredients. This dish is commonly served for breakfast, brunch, or even as an evening snack.
Servings: 4
Cost: 100
Ingredients
For Vada (Medu Vada)
- 1 cup urad dal split black gram – soaked 6 hours
- 1 tsp ginger finely chopped
- 2 tbsp onion finely chopped (optional)
- 2 green chilies chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
For Sambar
- ½ cup toor dal split pigeon peas
- 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- ½ cup vegetables carrot, drumstick, brinjal
- 2 tsp sambar powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Water as needed
For Tempering
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 –2 dry red chilies
- A pinch of asafoetida hing
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tsp oil or ghee
Instructions
🌿 Step 1: Make the Vada
- Soak urad dal for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and grind into a fluffy batter (don’t add much water).
- Add ginger, green chilies, coriander, and salt to the batter.
- Heat oil in a kadhai. Wet your hands, shape the batter into round vadas with a hole in the center, and gently drop into hot oil.
- Fry until golden and crispy. Set aside on paper towels.
🍲 Step 2: Prepare the Sambar
- Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric until soft. Mash and keep aside.
- In a pot, heat oil, add onions, tomatoes, and chopped vegetables. Sauté briefly.
- Add sambar powder, salt, tamarind pulp, and enough water. Cook until vegetables are tender.
- Add mashed dal to the mix. Simmer for 10–15 minutes.
🌶️ Step 3: Temper the Sambar
- In a small pan, heat ghee or oil.
- Add mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
- Pour the tempering into the hot sambar and mix.
🍛 Step 4: Assemble
- Place 2–3 hot vadas in a bowl.
- Pour steaming sambar over the vadas.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Serve with coconut chutney or mint chutney
- Add a spoon of ghee for a richer taste
- Ideal with a cup of filter coffee
💡 Tips & Tricks
- For fluffier vadas, aerate the batter by beating it well before frying.
- Use freshly ground sambar masala for best flavor.
- Soak vadas briefly in hot water before adding sambar for a softer texture.