Sambar Recipe

Sambar Recipe, How to Make Sambar

South Indian sambar is a delicious thick lentil stew made with toor dal aka lentils, mixed vegetables, tamarind & a special spice powder known as sambar masala powder. Vegetables like drumsticks, tomatoes, beans, carrots, pumpkin & okra are used.

Prep: 10min

Total: 50min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 187 kcal, Carbohydrate 32 g, Protein 10 g, Fat 2 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 4 mg, Sodium 352 mg, Fiber 11 g, Sugar 6 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup toor dal ((split pigeon peas) (refer notes))
• 2 cups water (to cook dal)
• 1 to 2 tablespoon tamarind (or tamarind paste as needed)
• 1 tablespoon jaggery ((optional))
• ¾ tablespoon salt ((adjust to taste))
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric ((skip if your sambar powder has it))
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder ((optional)(notes))
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (chopped)
• 1 medium onion diced ((or 12 to 15 shallots) (150 grams))
• 1 large tomato ((100 grams) )
• 1 medium carrot diced ((optional))
• 1 to 2 vegetable drumsticks ((8 to 10 pieces, moringa (100 grams)))
• 2 to 3 bhindi ((okra, optional (50 grams)))
• 1 green chili (slit (optional))
• 1 tablespoon ghee ( or oil)
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 Pinch methi seeds ((fenugreek seeds))
• ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida ((hing))
• 1 to 2 dried red chili ((optional))
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon chana dal ((skinned split bengal gram))
• 1 teaspoon urad dal ((skinned split black gram))
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon methi seeds ((fenugreek seeds))
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ((jeera))
• 4 to 5 dried red chilies ((kashmiri or byadgi) (less spicy variety))

Instruction:

1. Dice tomatoes & chop okra to 1 inch pieces. If using pumpkin, peel the skin & dice. Keep all these aside.
2. Next add methi seeds and saute until slightly dark. Then add cumin, fry for a minute. Cool these and powder finely in a spice jar.
3. Stir it to the boiling sambar. Adjust salt and tamarind if needed. Bring it to a gentle boil and add coriander leaves.
4. Serve sambar with rice, idli, vada or dosa.
5. It keeps good for about 2 to 4 days. Bring it to a boil & make a fresh tempering.

Sambar Recipe | Authentic South Indian Sambar Recipe

I share our favorite Sambar Recipe which I have perfected over the years. Make this flavorsome, hearty and nutritious South Indian vegetable-lentil stew with this easy method. Enjoy the sambar with South Indian snacks like idli, dosa, uttapam, medu vada or simply pair it with rice for a comforting, healthy and filling meal.

Prep: 15min

Total: 45min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 265 kcal, Carbohydrate 38 g, Protein 11 g, Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 13 g, Sugar 8 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon tamarind
• ⅓ cup hot water
• ½ cup tur dal (or arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) – 100 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
• 1.5 to 1.75 cups water (or add as required)
• 1 to 1.5 cups chopped vegetables (like okra, french beans, potatoes, small round brinjals, pumpkin)
• 1 to 2 drumsticks (- scraped and chopped in 3 to 4 inches sticks. )
• 6 to 7 pearl onions ((sambar onions) or 1 small to medium onion, thickly sliced)
• 1 tomato (- small to medium, quartered or diced)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
• ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder (- optional)
• salt (as required)
• 1.5 to 2 cups water (or add as required)
• 1 to 1.5 tablespoons Sambar Powder
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil ((gingelly oil), can also use coconut oil or sunflower oil or ghee)
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 to 2 dry red chillies (- halved and seeds removed)
• 10 to 12 curry leaves
• 2 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
• 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds ((methi seeds) – optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro) – optional)

Instruction:

1. Once the tamarind gets soft, then squeeze the tamarind in the water itself. Discard the strained tamarind and keep the tamarind pulp aside.
2. Mash the dal with a spoon or wired whisk. Cover and keep aside. You can see the consistency of dal in the pic below.
3. Cook till the vegetables are almost done. Ensure that you don’t over cook the vegetables.
4. You will see a frothy layer on top when the sambar begins boiling. At this step switch off the heat. Cover and set aside.
5. Serve sambar hot. You can garnish it with a few coriander leaves if you prefer. It can also be served with steamed rice, idli, dosa, medu vada or uttapam.
6. Vary the consistency of sambar keeping in mind the dish you want to serve it with. Example – a medium to slightly thin sambar is served with idli, dosa and medu vada. Sambar with a medium to thick consistency is served with steamed rice.
7. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for a day only. Note that the consistency will thicken after refrigeration. Add some water and mix to get your desired consistency while reheating in a pan.

Vegetable Sambar Recipe

Sambar, a hot and spicy lentil soup with mixed vegetables, is a must have accompaniment for popular South Indian breakfast and lunch recipes like Idli, Dosa, Medu Vada, Steamed Rice etc. It is known as Sambaru in Karnataka, Kuzhambu in Tamilnadu and Sambhar in North India due to different dialects but its preparation is same and it requires cooking steamed/boiled vegetables and lentils with sautéed tomato onion and spicy mix of tamarind, Sambar Masala Powder and varieties of spices. This Sambar Recipe is for preparing the simple and traditional Vegetable Sambar and explains it with Step by Step Photos and provides tips to help you customize it to your taste and preference.

Prep: 10min

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Toor Dal (split pigeon peas)
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 cup chopped Mixed Vegetables
• 1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 5-6 Curry Leaves
• 1-2 Dry Red Chillies
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 medium Onion, finely chopped (approx. 1/3 cup)
• 1 tablespoon Sambar Powder
• 1/2 tablespoon Seedless Tamarind
• 1 Tomato, finely chopped (approx. 1/3 cup)
• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 1 cup + 1½ cups Water
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Coriander Leaves
• Salt to taste

Instruction:

1. Add toor dal, turmeric powder and 1 cup water in 3-4 liters capacity steel or aluminum pressure cooker. Add mixed vegetables in a small container, place it inside the pressure cooker and close the cooker lid. Pressure cook over medium flame for 3-4 whistles. For this recipe we used 1/4 cup potato, 1/4 cup brinjal, 1/4 cup carrot and 1/4 cup French beans as mixed vegetables.
2. Turn off the flame and allow it to stand until pressure comes down naturally. Open the lid, remove the container of vegetables and mash the dal using spatula or immersion blender.
3. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a pan or kadai over medium flame. Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add curry leaves, dry red chilies, asafoetida, and sauté for 10-15 seconds.
4. Add chopped onion.
5. Sauté until onion turns transparent. Add tamarind juice and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add chopped tomatoes.
7. Sauté until tomatoes turn soft. Add Sambar Powder.
8. Stir and cook for a minute.
9. Add cooked and mashed dal, boiled vegetables, 1½ cups water and salt.
10. Mix well and boil until it turns frothy; it will take around 5-7 minutes.
11. Turn off the flame. Transfer spicy Sambar into a serving bowl and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Sambar | South Indian Style Sambar

FAQ

What dal is sambar made of?

How can I make sambar taste better?

What is sambar powder made of?

What can I use in sambar instead of tamarind?

• Make it with basic ingredients. Certain common kitchen ingredients can enable you to get an ideal tamarind paste substitute within a few minutes. …
• Pomegranate Molasses. …
• Fruit Combinations. …
• Combine Brown sugar and Lime Juice. …
• Rice Vinegar. …
• Citrus Marmalade. …
• Amchur Powder. …
• Dried Tamarind Pulp.