Sambhar Recipe A Lentil Based Vegetable Stew

We can’t imagine South Indian cuisine without sambar/ sambhar dish. This vegetable stew is lentil-based and served piping hot with idli, dosai, vada, rice, uthappams, and all kinds of savory crepes. This is one of the most popular dishes which has won the hearts of all for long

I have thought many times about what makes South Indian cuisine so popular!! These may be the ingredients that range from dried red chilies, fresh green chilies, coconut, tamarind, curry leaves, and fresh seasonal vegetables, and above all, the level of their priceless spices and the choice of the staple may be the only differentiating factor.
All the South Indian states have their own versions of cooking this stew, but the base is almost the same. This lentil base dish is prepared with arhar or toor/toohr dal adding any seasonal veggies. A tadka or tampering of mustard seeds and curry leaves and the addition of tamarind pulp makes it special and unique.

Does a Homemade Sambar Masala Make a Difference

Yes! I would say. It makes a huge difference. This is the key ingredient that makes it so special and flavourful. Though numerous ready-made masalas are available in the market there is no match for freshly roasted and ground spices into sambar masala paste or puree. The sambar dish while cooking with this masala becomes an appetizer in itself

Cuisine – Indian (South India)

Course – Main (Indian Curries)

Prep Time – 30 minutes (preparations include soaking of dal and making homemade sambar masala paste)

Cooking Time – 30 minutes

Total time – 60 minutes

Author – Bharti Dhawan

INGREDIENTS FOR SAMBAR

1- Arhar or tuhar dal (washed and soaked for 30 minutes) 1 cup
2- Water – 5 -6 cups
3- Yellow pumpkin or kaddu (cubed) – 1 cup
4- Chopped onion and some shallots – 1/4 cup
5- Chopped tomatoes – 1/4 cup
6- Chopped brinjal/baingan – 1/4 cup
7- Chopped tomatoes – 1/4 cup
8- Chopped cauliflower
9- Salt – 2 tbsp or to taste
10- Turmeric /haldi powder – 2 tsp
11- Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
12- Tamarind paste/imli paste – 1 tbsp
13Homemade sambar paste – 2 tbsp

14- Cooking oil – 2 tbs

INGREDIENTS FOR TADKA/TEMPERING

1- Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
2- Whole red chilly – 2 nos.
3- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
4- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
5- Curry leaves – 7-8 nos.
6- Red chilly powder – 1 tsp

METHOD FOR SAMBAR

1- Add 1 cup soaked dal and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes or until 3-4 whistles come at medium flame. It must be cooked to a mushy consistency

2- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. Now add curry leaves, whole red chilies and hing/asafoetida powder

3- Now add chopped vegetables and stir at intervals. Time to add salt, turmeric/haldi powder, and red chili powder

4- Add chopped tomatoes and cook for a while.

5- Add cooked dal and water and let it boil for 10 minutes at low flame until veggies become soft

5- Add hot water to bring it to a thin consistency. Allow the sambar to boil

6- Add now sambar masala paste and tamarind paste and let it boil for 5 minutes to infuse all the flavors. Switch off the flame and prepare for tadka/tempering

METHOD FOR TADKA/TEMPERING

1- Heat oil in a tadka pan and add mustard seeds. When crackle add cumin seeds

2- Add whole red chilly (chopped)and curry leaves and let them splutter. Add red chilly powder now

3- Pour this tadka over cooked sambar and serve piping hot with idli or dosa, raw mango rice, or stir-fried green bean rice, or vegetable uthapams