Sambar Recipe

Sambar is a lentil and vegetable stew served along with idlis, dosas or uttappams. It is a staple dish of South India. It’s made with toor dal (pigeon pea lentil), veggies, tamarind, and some spices. It’s very healthy and nutritious, deriving proteins from the dal and essential nutrients from veggies.

Idli, dosa, and uttappams are really famous worldwide, but they’re not the same without a tasty sambar. It adds flavor to any dish. You can see this in the most popular South Indian restaurants. When they serve tasty sambar, lots of people come to eat there, and the restaurants become super famous. That’s how important sambar is in South Indian food.

If you think Sambar is just a stew made with lentils and vegetables, let me clear the air for you. Although the base of this stew is lentil and vegetables, it is the spice mix called Sambar powder which gives it that unique flavor. Again, the taste of the Sambar is wholly dependent on this Sambar powder.

You can buy Sambar powder in the store these days like this brand which I usually prefer. But it is also very easy to make it at home.

To make it at home, in a pan on medium heat, toast these spices until they smell nice and fragrant, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes:

• 1.5 tablespoon of chana dal
• 1.5 tablespoon urad dal
• 1 tablespoon toor dal
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2-3 dried red chilies (you can add more if you like it spicier)
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

So lets dive into making this super- tasty Sambar and enjoy it whenever you want.

Ingredients

Toor dal (split pigeon peas)

For veggies:

shallots, tomato, bottle gourd, eggplant, okra

For tempering

Oil, mustard seeds, dry red chilies(optional), curry leaves, Hing or Asafoetida, Sambar Masala powder, shredded coconut, tamarind pulp or tamarind concentrate, turmeric powder, Salt to taste, Water

Recipe Instructions

Preparation:

• Start by rinsing the toor dal thoroughly and then pressure cook it with enough water until it turns soft and mushy. Set it aside.
• Grind together Sambar masala and shredded coconut together. Keep it aside as well.
• In a separate pot, boil all the veggies of your choice. I use bottle gourd, eggplant, shallots, tomato and okra.

Making Sambar:

• In a medium pot, heat some oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter
• Add asafoetida, curry leaves and red chilies and let them cook for 30 seconds.

• Add the prepared paste of coconut and sambar masala along with turmeric powder and saute for 1 minute.
• Next goes in the cooked toor dal along with the boiled veggies.

• Add water to your desired consistency and let it come to a boil.
• Add salt and tamarind pulp and simmer it for 10 minutes on low-medium heat. This will allow all the flavors to come together.

• Once the vegetables are cooked through and the stew reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat.
• Serve with Idlis, dosas, vada or a steaming bowl of rice.

Serving suggestions

1. You can serve Sambar alongside hot steamed plain rice. This is perhaps the most classic and popular way to enjoy it. Simply serve a generous portion of hot sambar over steamed rice and and some ghee.
2. Soft and fluffy idlis are the perfect accompaniment to sambar. Serve sambar in a bowl alongside idlis or dunk them in it and let them soak up the delicious flavors.
3. Crispy dosas paired with the stew make for a delightful meal. Serve dosas on a plate with a side of sambar for dipping and chutneys like coconut chutney or peanut chutney for a wholesome meal.
4. Medu vadas, or crispy lentil fritters, are often served with sambar as a popular breakfast or snack option. Dip vadas in it or serve them alongside.
5. Uttappams, savory South Indian pancakes made from fermented rice and lentil batter and garnished with onions and other toppings are another fantastic options.
6. Sambar also pairs well as a side dish with other South Indian favorites like pongal, upma, or even chapati.

Tips and Tricks

• You can try various lentils like red lentils, split yellow gram or a combination of all. It brings out a distinct flavor as well as increases the its nutritional value.
• Feel free to customize the vegetables according to your preference.
• Adjust the quantity of sambar powder according to your spice preference. You can also make it at home with the help of recipe given above.

• Prepare a large batch of this stew ahead of time and store it in individual portions in airtight containers. This way, you can simply reheat it whenever you need it, making mealtime quick and convenient.
• Additionally, you can freeze leftover sambar in ice cube trays for easy portioning. Just pop out a few cubes and thaw them whenever you want.

FAQs

Q: Can I make sambar without a pressure cooker?

A: Yes, you can cook the toor dal in a regular pot or saucepan, but it will take longer. Make sure to soak the dal for a few hours before cooking to reduce the cooking time.

Q: Can I make this stew without tamarind?

A: Tamarind adds a tangy flavor to it, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute it with lemon juice or dry mango powder (amchur).

Q: Can I make sambar without onions and garlic?

A: Absolutely! You can omit onions and garlic from the recipe to make it suitable for a Jain or Satvik diet. Simply skip the sautéing step and proceed with adding the other ingredients.