What is sambar?
One of the most popular recipes of any south Indian household is Sambar. Sambar is essentially a vegetable stew or soup that is made with lentils, a variety of vegetables, tamarind, and spices.
The sambar powder is the key ingredient to make good sambar. Many people nowadays prefer to buy or use store-bought sambar powder. It is available in any Indian store. It is not hard to make your own sambar powder that is more healthy and you know what goes into making the powder.
Which Vegetables are used in Sambar?
Here are the common vegetables used in sambar:
Eggplant – Bringal, carrot, potatoes, plantains, okra, shallots, pearl onions, pumpkin, drumstick, tomatoes,
You can use any vegetables that you like. It is a personal choice. The same base recipe can be used for a variety of types of vegetables bringing out the flavor of each.
Trust me, no two sambars will taste the same. Even using the same veggies each time you make the taste will be slightly different… the variety of vegetables, amount of onion, spices, and salt all change. If you overcook your vegetables for sambar it will become mushy so watch for that.
Which lentils or dal used to make sambar
Most people use toor dal to make sambar. I use different lentils. My suggestion is to experiment with different proportions of various lentils such as chana dal, yellow split peas, toor dal, red lentils, moong dal. I have tried all of them and I liked them. Since each lentil provides different nutrients why not try different ones for a change.
Is Sambar healthy?
It is considered a complete meal since it has protein, nutrient-rich vegetables, fiber, and many other nutrients that are required for your body.
Sambar with Sambar Powder
Ingredients
Precook Toor Dal
- 1 cup tur dal/split pigeon peas 150 gms
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Prepare Tamarind Water
- 1/3 cup tamarind pulp
Precut Veggies
- 1 large onion sliced julienne
- 2 to matoes chopped
- 1 carrot chopped into medium pieces
- 3 Ivy gourd chopped
- 8 pumpkin pieces
- 10 eggplant pieces
- 8 pieces drumsticks
For Gravy
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida or thing
- 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
- 2 tablespoon sambar powder
- 3 dry red chilies
- 1 green chili adjust to your taste. you can add 1 more if you like spicy
- 2 sprig curry leaves
- 1/2 onion cut into cubes
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar or a piece of jaggery
- Fresh coriander
Instructions
- Prepare Dal
- Wash and Soak Toor Dal in water for 30 minutes. Then rinse again and drain all water.
- Add soaked dal, 2 1/2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder to a pressure cooker and cover with lid.
- Cook Dal over medium heat for 3 whistles in the pressure cooker. After the 1 st whistle reduce heat to medium low.
- Turn off the heat after 3 whistles and let it cool down completely. Wait for 10-15 minutes until the pressure in the cooker releases.
- When the pressure cooker completely cools down, open the lid and mash the cooked dal with a wooden whisk.
- Check the consistency and adjust the thickness by adding hot water.
- Prepare Tamarind Water
- Soak a lemon size tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and make 1/3 cup tamarind pulp.
- Prepare the Vegetables
- Wash and cut all vegetables as suggested in the ingredient list
- Making the Gravy
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot reduce heat to medium and add 1 tsp mustard seed
- When Mustard seeds start to splutter, add 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, stir for 10 seconds, then add 2-3 dry whole red chilies, 1-2 green chilies, 2 spring curry leaves, 1/4 tsp Asafoetida. After adding all these, stir for 20-30 seconds
- Add 1 large onion, sliced into julienne, saute onion until it is light brown (no need to make it dark brown, just until the onion is soft and edges start to get light brown). Don't overcook the onions otherwise, there will be a burnt taste to sambar. It takes about 4-5 minutes
- When the onion is light brown, add 2 tomatoes chopped, medium pieces. Mix all together and cook tomatoes until it is soft and mushy 3-4 minutes.
- Add cut vegetables and mix all together. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add all dry spices: 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1 tablespoon ready made sambar powder, salt
- Stir all together so the vegetables are coated with spices, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 1/3 cup tamarind pulp and 1/2 cup hot water. Stir all together and cover with a lid cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are 80% cooked.
- Remove the cover and add 1/2 onion cut into large cubes. Mix all together
- Add a small piece of Jaggery or 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Cook for another minute and then add cooked Dal.
- Bring the gravy to boil on medium-high heat. When it is boiled reduce heat to medium and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Check for salt, spices, and consistency. Adjust salt and spices to your taste. Sambar gravy shouldn't be too thick or too runny, it should have medium thickness. When it cools down it will thicken a bit more.
- Add 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves or coriander leaves.
- Serve with rice, Idli, Dosa etc.
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