Learn how to make simple and delicious Pasi Paruppu Sambar recipe with step by step pictures. Easy Moong Dal Sambar, best as side dish with any South Indian tiffin or hot rice!
Pasi Paruppu Sambar is a simple and easy Sambar made with Moong Dal. Mostly sambar is made from Thuvaram Paruppu - Toor Dal/Arhar Dal but this sambar made with Moong Dal makes it one of the easiest and quickest sambar recipes. It is typically served as a side dish for tiffin items like idli, dosa or Pongal. It also goes well as a side for chapati and can be served along with hot rice & a dollop of ghee.
Pasi Paruppu Sambar
Sambar made with Moong Dal – called as Pasi Paruppu Sambar is a quick and delicious side that can made in a jiffy. Unlike toor dal used in most sambar recipes, moong dal cooks very quickly and thus, this can be made very quickly. Typically, my mother-in-law makes it in a large open pot with all the ingredients cooked together and then makes a flavorful tempering of fried onions, asafoetida and curry leaves which is poured over cooked sambar. I further simplified the process and used my pressure cooker to cook the ingredients, which cuts the cooking time in half. We generally do not add any vegetables to this pasi paruppu sambar, it is meant to be plain with just lots of onions & tomatoes making it perfect as tiffin sambar but if you can add any vegetable of choice just like thuvaram paruppu sambar.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Moong Dal Sambar
Moong Dal Sambar is a quick and easy recipe that is beginner friendly. Using pressure cooker and following the below notes will help with the texture and consistency of the sambar.
- It is important to not overcook Moong Dal. As I mentioned before, pasi paruppu or moong dal cooks easily and when overcooked, it kind of turns slimy. It tastes best when it has some texture left, so either cook it in an open pot and check for doneness. When it mashes easily, stop cooking it any further. When pressure cooking, cook for 2 whistles on high flame.
- When cooking moong dal in pressure cooker, I always place the dal in a pot/bowl than directly cooking in the cooker. This avoids any spillage as moong dal can turn quite frothy while cooking.
- Garlic and asafoetida are essential ingredients in this sambar recipe, don’t skip them both for taste and easy digestion.
- This sambar should not be boiled for too long, as everything is pre-cooked and mixed, just bring it to a single boil and remove from heat.
- Adjust the consistency of sambar by adding more or less water as needed. When it is thick, it is kind of like dal tadka and can be served with roti.
Serving Suggestions
Pasi Paruppu Sambar tastes best when served hot with idli, dosa or Pongal. It also can be served with roti or chapati. It goes well with hot rice and a dollop of ghee, with any vegetable side dishes. It can be stored in air tight container in fridge for upto a day. Reheat it before serving again.
Check out other Sambar recipes
Pasi Paruppu Sambar Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
In a bowl that fits your pressure cooker, add ½ cup washed moong dal, 1 large onion chopped, 1 large tomato chopped, 6-8 garlic cloves and 1-2 green chillies sliced.
Add about 1- 1.5 cups of water (enough to immerse everything) and pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles. Let the pressure come down naturally.
Meanwhile heat 2 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add ½ teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds. As they splutter, add 1 dry red chilli cut into 2-3 pieces along with ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and few fresh curry leaves.
Next add 1 medium onion (or 8-10 shallots) chopped. Fry on low heat until translucent and slightly golden.
Add 1 teaspoon sambar powder along with ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Cook on low heat for a min.
Add ¼ cup of water and cook it for 3-4 mins.
The pressure-cooked dal mixture should have some texture to it. Don’t mash it.
Add it to the pan along with salt as needed and mix well.
On medium flame, let the sambar boil for 3-4 mins.
Add 3-4 coriander stalks roughly chopped and mix well. Remove from heat.
Serve hot immediately with hot rice or tiffin items like idli, dosa or Pongal.
Recipe Notes
- Check out the Homemade Sambar Powder recipe.
- Adjust the number of green chillies depending on the spice preference.
- Instead of sambar powder, red chilli powder can also be used but reduce the quantity to ½ tsp.
Recipe Card
📖 Recipe
Pasi Paruppu Sambar | Moong Dal Sambar
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan/Pot
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
To Pressure Cook
- ½ cup Moong Dal
- 1 Large Onion Chopped
- 1 Large Tomato Chopped
- 6-8 Garlic Pods
- 1-2 Green Chillies Sliced
- Water as needed
For Sambar
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1 Dry Red Chilli
- 1 Medium Onion Chopped 8-10 Shallots Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Sambar Powder recipe in notes
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3-4 Coriander Stalks Roughly Chopped
- Few Fresh Curry Leaves
- Salt as needed
- Water as needed
Instructions
- In a bowl that fits your pressure cooker, add ½ cup washed moong dal, 1 large onion chopped, 1 large tomato chopped, 6-8 garlic cloves and 1-2 green chillies sliced.
- Add about 1- 1.5 cups of water (enough to immerse everything) and pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles. Let the pressure come down naturally.
- Meanwhile heat 2 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add ½ teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds. As they splutter, add 1 dry red chilli cut into 2-3 pieces along with ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and few fresh curry leaves.
- Next add 1 medium onion (or 8-10 shallots) chopped. Fry on low heat until translucent and slightly golden.
- Add 1 teaspoon sambar powder along with ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Cook on low heat for a min.
- Add ¼ cup of water and cook it for 3-4 mins.
- The pressure-cooked dal mixture should have some texture to it. Don’t mash it.
- Add it to the pan along with salt as needed and mix well.
- On medium flame, let the sambar boil for 3-4 mins.
- Add 3-4 coriander stalks roughly chopped and mix well. Remove from heat.
Notes
- Check out the Homemade Sambar Powder recipe.
- Adjust the number of green chillies depending on the spice preference.
- Instead of sambar powder, red chilli powder can also be used but reduce the quantity to ½ tsp.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
Sowmya
Looks delicious and colourful