Sambhar Vada Yellow Lentil Soup with Spiced Doughnuts

Dive into the rich and aromatic flavors of South Indian cuisine with this Sambhar Vada, a golden duo of tangy yellow lentil soup and crisp, spiced doughnuts. This recipe brings together protein-packed toor dal simmered with tamarind, freshly ground spices, and tender vegetables to create a hearty sambhar with bold, tangy undertones. Paired with fluffy urad dal vadas—delicately spiced with ginger, green chili, and black pepper—this dish offers the perfect balance of texture and flavor. These golden doughnuts are fried to perfection, then soaked in steaming sambhar for a melt-in-your-mouth experience. Whether served as a comforting breakfast, snack, or main meal, Sambhar Vada is the ultimate fusion of flavor and tradition.

Nutriscore Rating: 65/100

Prep Time:40 mins

Cook Time:50 mins

Total Time:90 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Toor dal (pigeon peas)
• 2 tablespoons Tamarind paste
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 0.5 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
• 8 pieces Curry leaves
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 medium Tomato
• 0.5 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons Sambhar powder
• 6 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Vegetables (carrots, drumsticks, etc.)
• 1 cup Urad dal (black gram lentils)
• 1 teaspoon Ginger
• 2 pieces Green chili
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Rice flour
• 0.25 teaspoon Baking soda
• 4 cups Oil (for deep frying)

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the toor dal thoroughly and pressure cook it with 3 cups of water and turmeric powder until soft. Mash it well and set aside.

Step 2

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for 10 minutes, then extract the juice and discard the solids.

Step 3

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pot. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

Step 4

Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes and cook until softened.

Step 5

Stir in sambhar powder and the prepared tamarind juice. Add the cooked vegetables of your choice, salt, and 3 cups of water. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Step 6

Add the mashed toor dal to the pot and mix well. Simmer for another 5 minutes, adjusting the consistency with water if needed.

Step 7

For the vada, soak the urad dal in water for 4 hours, then drain and grind it into a smooth, thick batter using minimal water.

Step 8

To the batter, add finely chopped ginger, green chili, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle rice flour and baking soda into the batter and mix gently.

Step 9

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Wet your hands, take a small ball of batter, make a hole in the center, and gently drop it into the hot oil.

Step 10

Fry the vadas on medium heat until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Step 11

To serve, place vadas in a bowl and ladle hot sambhar over them. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(3431.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	10357.6

Total Fat 982.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 138.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 16.9g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 4148.6mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 330.5g	0%
Dietary Fiber 84.1g	0%
Total Sugars 47.8g
Protein 105.1g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 691.1mg	0%
Iron 29.7mg	0%
Potassium 6513.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 83.5%

Protein: 4.0%

Carbs: 12.5%