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Idli and Sambar
Indian · Tamil Nadu

Idli and Sambar

Idli (steamed rice and lentil cakes) with sambar (spiced lentil and vegetable soup) is the canonical South Indian breakfast — the idli should be pure white, soft enough to tear with minimal resistance, and mildly sour from fermentation. Sambar is the complex counterpart: toor dal (pigeon pea) cooked with tamarind, tomato, vegetables, and sambar powder. Together they represent the nutritional and flavour architecture of South Indian cooking.

‹Swipe for the next dish›
Serves4
Total180 min
Sourced1of 19 in BC
Cook
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I

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

IDLI
150g
parboiled rice
soaked 4 hours
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
50g
split white urad dal
soaked 4 hours
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
5g
fenugreek seeds
with soaking liquid
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
5g
fine sea salt
Your own market
2ml
vegetable oil
for greasing
Your own market
SAMBAR
8g
dried red chilli
Byadgi or Kashmiri
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15g
toor dal
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
200ml
water
Your own market
1
large onion
quartered
Your own market
2
large tomatoes
quartered
Origin · ItalyBosa Foods · Vancouver →
100g
drumstick
or vegetables, cut 5cm
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60ml
vegetable oil
Your own market
8g
cumin seeds
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
6g
fenugreek seeds
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
8g
curry leaves
fresh
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2g
asafoetida powder
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
10g
tamarind paste
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
10g
fine sea salt
Your own market
10g
fresh coriander
chopped
Not yet stocked in British Columbia

Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.

II

The Method

1
IDLI: Grind soaked rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds with soaking liquid until fluffy batter forms; ferment at room temperature 8 hours until risen and foamy.
2
Fold salt into fermented batter gently; grease idli moulds with oil.
3
Fill moulds three-quarters full; steam in idli maker or steamer for 7–8 minutes until springy to touch.
4
SAMBAR: Dry roast chillies 1 minute; soak in 60ml hot water 15 minutes, then grind to paste.
5
Simmer toor dal in 200ml water until half-cooked, 8 minutes; add onion, tomato, and drumstick; cook 12 minutes.
6
Heat oil in separate pan; toast cumin and fenugreek seeds 1 minute; add curry leaves and asafoetida; bloom 30 seconds.
7
Pour tempered spices into dal; stir in chilli paste and tamarind; simmer 5 minutes, season with salt.
8
Unmould idlis onto plate; serve with sambar and warm sambhar over top, garnished with coriander.
IV

Sensory Tests

◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where idli lives or dies is the fermentation — the batter must reach the right stage: increased in volume by 50-60%, bubbly on the surface, and smelling mildly sour (not vinegary). In warm climates this takes 8-12 hours; in cold climates it can take 24 hours. The fermentation activates the leavening properties of the urad dal and produces the characteristic lightness of properly made idli. Under-fermented batter produces flat, dense, flavourless idli.
Pillar V
Cross-cuisine parallels are part of membership.
The dishes this one teaches you, across the cuisines — on every recipe.
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VI

What to Pour

Pouring for British Columbia ·

The pairing
Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt
Caol Ila Distillery · Islay
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Whisky
From British Columbia
SOV Wheated Rye Whisky
Sons of Vancouver Distillery · Metro Vancouver
Sons of Vancouver Distillery · North Vancouver →
Whisky
Without alcohol

No pour without alcohol holds against this yet.

Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.

Why each one works is part of membership — Enter · from $49 a year →

The whole pairing
Pillar VII
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
Enter · from $49 a year
Sourced through Provenance

The hands behind the plate.

Bosa Foods
Vancouver · large tomatoes
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