Udupi Huli

Udupi Huli

Udupi Huli

Veg Vegan

Udupi sambar — the defining distinction of Udupi huli from all other South Indian sambar varieties is the use of jaggery and a freshly ground masala paste of fried dried red chilli, coriander seeds, and freshly grated coconut rather than commercial sambar powder. The resulting huli is sweeter, creamier, and more coconut-forward than Tamil Nadu sambar; the jaggery rounds the tamarind's sharpness into a gentler sweet-sour profile. Made with toor dal cooked until very soft and mashed, then combined with tamarind, the fresh coconut masala, and the season's vegetables (drumstick, tomato, shallot, or a single vegetable like ash gourd). No onion in the purist temple version; asafoetida performs the same flavour function. The Udupi huli is the standard against which all Karnataka sambar is judged.

Cuisines

Mangalorean Udupi Mysore

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 30 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
1 cup mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, potato)
1 small tomato, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
1 tamarind lemon-sized ball, soaked in water
1 tbsp jaggery
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2 cups water
2 tbsp huli powder (sambar powder)

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the toor dal thoroughly and pressure cook it with 2 cups of water and turmeric powder until soft.
  2. 2 In a pot, add the mixed vegetables, chopped tomato, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
  3. 3 Extract the juice from the soaked tamarind and add it to the cooked vegetables along with jaggery and cooked toor dal.
  4. 4 Add the huli powder and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
  5. 5 In a small pan, heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add asafoetida and curry leaves.
  6. 6 Pour this tempering over the simmering huli and mix well.
  7. 7 Add freshly grated coconut and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
  8. 8 Adjust salt to taste and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Tips

For a richer flavor, roast the huli powder slightly before adding it to the dish.