Sambar

5 from 1 vote

A delicious South Indian stew; Sambar is made with lentil, mixed vegetables, sambar masala and tempered with whole spices.

This stew comes together in under 30 minutes and is best with idli, vada, dosa or even steamed rice!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: South Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Smruti

Ingredients

For the Dal

1 cup toor dal
1 cup water

For the Tempering

2 teaspoon oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
⅛ teaspoon asafetida
½ teaspoon urad dal
3 curry leaves
1 dried red chili

For the Vegetables

1 medium drumstick
½ medium onion
1 medium tomato
1 small eggplant
½ cup bottle gourd
½ cup carrot
½ cup green peas
1 inch ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1½ teaspoon sambar masala
1 teaspoon sugar
1 green chili
1½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon oil
1½ cup water

Instructions

Wash the dal in running water till the water runs clean. Then transfer to a pressure cooker container. Add water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
1 cup toor dal, 1 cup water
Once the pressure releases naturally, open the pressure cooker. Remove the insert and lightly mash the dal using a ladle or spoon. Set aside.
In a pan add oil. Heat it up.
2 teaspoon oil
Add the aromatics. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, till soft.
1 inch ginger, 1 green chili, ½ medium onion
Add in chopped vegetables and peas. Mix well.
1 medium drumstick, ½ cup bottle gourd, ½ cup carrot, ½ cup green peas, 1 small eggplant
Add salt and mix well.
1 teaspoon salt
Then add water and mix well.
1½ cup water
Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes; till the vegetables are cooked.
Add in the dal and dry spices.
1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder
Mix well and bring to a boil.
Add in chopped tomatoes and mix well. Bring to a rolling boil.
1 medium tomato
In a small pan, heat oil. Once hot add urad dal.
1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon urad dal
As it starts to turn dark, add the remaining spices.
½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 3 curry leaves, 1 dried red chili, ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
Let them all pop and add sambar powder. Let the powder cook for 30 seconds but not burn.
1½ teaspoon sambar masala
Then transfer to the sambar and mix well.
Boil the sambar for another 5-6 minutes.
Add tamarind paste and sugar. Then mix well and turn down the flame.
1½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate, 1 teaspoon sugar
Mix well, top with cilantro and serve with idli, dosa or simply steamed rice.

Video

Notes

Dal for the sambar: Traditionally toor dal works best for sambar. However, a mix of toor and moong dal can be used too. Ensure the dal is fresh and not too dated. Dated dal tends to take longer to cook and may still remain grainy.
Adding vegetables: Seasonal vegetables are great to add in the sambar. All kinds of gourds, okra, beans, potatoes, radish and ivy gourd work well in the recipe.
Shallots vs onions: Shallots are traditionally perfect in sambar. However, we can easily use pink or white onions instead.
Adding garlic: Most sambar recipes do not have garlic. However, it can be used if desired. Add it along with ginger and green chili if using.
Sambar Masala: A special spice mix called sambar masala is used in the recipe. This can be bought from the store or made at home. Add this only after the pressure cooking is done. Over cooking the masala makes the sambar bitter.
Tamarind: I like to use tamarind as the souring agent in sambar. It has a characteristic sourness that is perfect. Though I would strongly recommend it, replace with lemon juice in case of allergy.
Storage: Sambar can be served directly after making. The leftover can be refrigerated for 2-3 days in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Simply heat through before serving. Also, add some water to make it the right consistency.
Balancing sourness: The sourness of tamarind is perfect to balance with a pinch of jaggery or sugar. It makes the sambar well balanced in taste and gives it the perfect flavors.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition