Idli Sambar is a classic South Indian breakfast consisting of soft, steamed rice cakes served with a flavorful, tangy lentil and vegetable stew. It is a staple morning meal enjoyed in homes across India for its comforting blend of spices and textures.
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Nutrient score: Excellent
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 1 cup Toor dal (uncooked) (201 g)
- 3 cups Water (710 g)
- 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder (1.2 g)
- 2 tbsp Tamarind pulp (37 g)
- 2 cups Mixed vegetables (chopped) (308 g)
- 2 tbsp Cooking Oil (27 g)
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds (3.7 g)
- 2 pieces Dried Red Whole Chilli (3 g)
- 10 leaves Curry leaves (5 g)
- 2 tbsp Sambar powder (15 g)
- Salt, to taste
- 4 cups Idli batter (994 g)
- Ingredients in total: 2.3 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 904 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 1.4 kg · 4 servings of about 350 g
Method
- Rinse the pigeon peas well and cook in a pot with water and turmeric until they are completely soft and mushy.
- Mash the cooked lentils thoroughly with a whisk or spoon until creamy.
- Add the mixed vegetables, tamarind pulp, and salt to the lentils, then simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender.
- In a separate small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds; once they start to crackle, add the dried red chillies and curry leaves.
- Stir the sambar powder into the oil for a few seconds, then pour this tempering mixture into the pot of sambar and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Grease an idli steamer tray with a little oil and pour the batter into the moulds.
- Steam the idlis in a covered steamer pot over high heat for about 10 to 12 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Serve the hot steamed idlis alongside a bowl of sambar, garnished with fresh coriander leaves.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 593 kcal | 169 kcal |
| Protein | 22.1 g | 6.31 g |
| Water | 206 mL | 58.7 mL |
| Sodium | 772 mg | 221 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 104 g | 29.6 g |
| Total Fat | 10.7 g | 3.05 g |
| Sugar | 14.4 g | 4.1 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 7.77 mg | 2.22 mg |
| Calcium | 184 mg | 52.6 mg |
| Magnesium | 158 mg | 45.1 mg |
| Potassium | 1,152 mg | 329 mg |
| Iodine | 4.88 mcg | 1.39 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 483 mg | 138 mg |
| Zinc | 4.25 mg | 1.21 mg |
| Chloride | 910 mg | 260 mg |
| Selenium | 16.4 mcg | 4.69 mcg |
| Copper | 1.07 mg | 0.31 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.17 mg | 0.048 mg |
| Manganese | 2.02 mg | 0.58 mg |
| Molybdenum | 18.1 mcg | 5.17 mcg |
| Chromium | 3.92 mcg | 1.12 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.72 g | 0.49 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.4 g | 0.97 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.22 g | 0.062 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.39 g | 0.97 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 3.17 g | 0.91 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.32 g | 0.09 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0.002 g | 0.001 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 2.77 g | 0.79 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 15.1 g | 4.32 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 3.66 g | 1.05 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 14.1 g | 4.03 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 14.6 mg | 4.16 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 286 mcg | 81.7 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.11 mg | 1.18 mg |
| Vitamin A | 481 mcg RAE | 137 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.51 mg | 0.15 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.57 mg | 0.16 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.2 mg | 0.057 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.53 mg | 0.44 mg |
| Vitamin E | 2.79 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Vitamin K | 17.8 mcg | 5.09 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 12.5 mcg | 3.57 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 3,121 mcg | 892 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 93 mg | 26.6 mg |
| Leucine | 1,890 mg | 540 mg |
| Lysine | 1,257 mg | 359 mg |
| Polyphenols | 415 mg | 119 mg |
| Methionine | 334 mg | 95.5 mg |
| Oxalates | 72.7 mg | 20.8 mg |
| Threonine | 880 mg | 251 mg |
| Tryptophan | 305 mg | 87.3 mg |
| Valine | 1,199 mg | 342 mg |
| Flavonoids | 100 mg | 28.6 mg |
| Histidine | 868 mg | 248 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 1.14 mg | 0.33 mg |
| Lycopene | 0.38 mg | 0.11 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 1,322 mg | 378 mg |
| Purines | 161 mg | 45.9 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (350 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 1,071 mg | 306 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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