Udupi sambar is a delicious and flavorful variation of sambar recipe from Udupi region of karnataka. This sambar is slightly sweet, very flavorful and delicious with rice. I totally love dishes from udupi cuisine and this sambar is my top favorite. Here is how to make best udupi sambar recipe at home!

Udupi is a small town in Karnataka famous for Krishna temple. The other main attraction of udupi is small food joints that we find in big cities like Bangalore called udupi restaurants.

The udupi cuisine is known for its mild, delicious and aromatic dishes that are mostly without onion and garlic. That is Udupi recipes are mostly satvik.

South India is so famous for its sambar recipes. Every state and region has its own sambar recipes like nellai sambar, kadamba samabr, keerai sambar, idli sambar, hotel sambar recipes.

This udupi sambar is one of the highlights of the region’s cooking. It is full of veggies, very flavorful and slightly sweet from the jaggery. Also this sambar is a bit thin compared to regular ones like vengaya sambar.

I learned to make this tasty and flavorful udupi sambar recipe from my neighbor while we lived in Bangalore. I had noted down many tasty recipes from her and this udupi sambar recipe was one of them.

Since then I have been making it, over the years I have modified the recipe to suit well to our tastes. This udupi sambar stands out for its flavor, the flavor comes from the freshly pounded spice powder.

Usually this udupi sambar powder is made in small batches and used with in a week (that is what my neighbor told me and even I do the same as the flavor is too good this way.)

Serve udupi sambar with rice, veggies like potato fry, okra fry, cauliflower fry or carrot curry and curd. This sambar also tastes very good as side side dish for idli, dosa, masala dosa, set dosa.

This Udupi Sambar Recipe Is

Delicious, flavorful and authentic

Vegan & gluten free

No onion & garlic satvik food

Mildly sweet with subtle flavors

Good to serve with rice, dosa & idli

Udupi Sambar Powder

To make this sambar we need a special sambar powder known as udupi sambar powder. It is a very flavorful and complex spice blend of various lentils, spices and coconut.

You can make and store this powder in bulk but I suggest only preparing in small quantities as the flavor is more potent that way.

I have given the recipe with pictures for this sambar powder in the below pictorial.

What Veggies Go Well In Udupi Sambar?

To make udupi sambar recipe you can use ash gourd, pumpkin, eggplants. If you do not have them handy you can even use capsicum or carrots, but traditionally ash gourd is the best suited vegetable for udupi sambar.

This is a no onion, garlic and tomato recipe. The color of the sambar will be determined by the color of the sambar powder. Use kashmiri red chilies in the sambar powder if you want a deep colored sambar. Traditionally byadagi chilies are used.

Can I Make This Sambar Without Jaggery?

While the slight sweetness from jaggery is signature taste of this sambar you can easily make this sambar without jaggery. Just leave out jaggery and make the recipe.

How To Make Udupi Sambar Powder

Fry 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, channa dal, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/4 methi seeds and 2 teaspoons urad dal in 1/2 teaspoon oil. Fry till the color changes slightly.

Remove to a plate. In the same oil fry 6-7 dried red chilies and 1 tablespoon grated coconut well. Mix everything and allow to cool.

Once cooled, grind in a small dry grinding jar. Store in airtight container.

How To Make Udupi Sambar

1. Pressure cook 1/2 cup toor dal until very soft. Once the pressure is released, mash the dal very well and set aside. Soak a big lemon sized tamarind in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes. Extract thick pulp and set aside.

2. Heat 3 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let it pop. Add curry leaves and saute for 1-2 minutes. Next add cubed ash gourd, pumpkin and egg plants. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric powder and saute well.

3. Add tamarind pulp and mix well. Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add about 2 tablespoons of prepare udupi sambar powder.