How to Make Authentic South Indian Sambar / Sambar Recipe
Sambar is a traditional South Indian dish made with lentils, spices and vegetables. It is well known for its rich, tangy, and flavorful taste. It is a staple food in the south Indian household and it is a perfect accompaniment to steamed rice, idlis, dosas, and vadas. This lentil-based dish is not only delicious but also packed with several nutrients
In this article, lets look into the step by step guide to make this healthy and nutritious Sambar .
Ingredients for making Sambar:
- Toor dal (pigeon peas): 1/2 cup
- Mixed vegetables: 2 cups (carrot, drumstick, beans, brinjal, pumpkin, potato etc.)
- Tamarind: A lemon-sized ball (or 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste)
- Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon
- Salt: To taste
- Shallots-5
- Tomato-1
- Water: As needed
- Sambar masala – 2 tablespoons ( adjust the quantity as per your spice preference)
For the Tempering:
- Oil or ghee: 2 tablespoons
- Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
- Urad dal: 1 teaspoon
- Asafoetida (hing): A pinch
- Fenugreek powder– 1 teaspoon / Fenugreek seeds- 5
- Curry leaves: A sprig
How to cook Sambar:
Lets look into the step by step recipe to make this :
- Cook the lentils
- Wash the toor dal thoroughly under running water.
- In a pressure cooker, add the toor dal, ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 2 cups of water.
- Cook the dal in high flame for 1 whistle and then simmer it for 10 mins until it becomes soft and mushy. Mash it well with the back side of the ladle and set aside.
- Chop the Vegetables
- Wash the vegetables in water and chop them into small pieces.
- Extract Tamarind Juice
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for few minutes.
- Squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice and discard the left over pulp. If using tamarind paste, you can skip this step.
- Prepare the Sambar
- In a pressure cooker, combine the mashed dal, tamarind juice, salt , tomatoes, mixed vegetables and shallots
- Add water as needed to adjust the consistency and cook them in high flame for 2 whistles and switch off the stove
- Once the pressure is released. Add sambar masala and simmer it for 5 mins for the flavours to get absorbed.
- Adjust the salt to taste.
- Prepare the Tempering
- Heat oil or ghee in a small pan.
- Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
- Add urad dal, fenugreek, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Pour this tempering over the sambar and mix well.
- Garnish and Serve
- Now garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve it hot with steamed rice, idlis, or dosas.
Tips
- Adding drumstick imparts a unique flavour making it more aromatic.
- Do not add salt while pressure cooking lentils, as it may prevent them from cooking.
- Adjust the tamarind, sambar powder, and salt to achieve a perfect balance of various flavors.
- Freshly ground homemade sambar powder makes it more aromatic and flavorful.
- Try adding different kinds of mixed vegetables like potatoes ,beans, pumpkin, radish
Nutritional Benefits
Sambar is not only flavorful but also packed with nutrients:
- Toor Dal is an excellent source of protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients like folic acid.
- Vegetables like carrot, drumstick, brinjal etc are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Turmeric and other Spices are loaded with anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties.
Variations of Sambar
There are several variations of Sambar available
- Tiffin Sambar: Made with freshly ground spices, coconut and lentils .
- Instant Sambar: A simpler version, made without dal.
Try making this flavoursome sambar at home and relish it with steamed rice/ idli / dosa.
Sambar
Learn to make authentic South Indian Sambar
Ingredients
For the Sambar
- Toor dal (pigeon peas) 1/2 cup
- Mixed vegetables: 2 cups carrot, drumstick, beans, brinjal, pumpkin, potato etc.
- Tamarind: A lemon-sized ball or 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste
- Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon
- Salt: To taste
- Shallots-5
- Tomato-1
- Water: As needed
- Sambar masala – 2 tablespoons adjust the quantity as per your spice preference
For the tempering
- Oil or ghee: 2 tablespoons
- Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
- Urad dal: 1 teaspoon
- Asafoetida hing: A pinch
- Fenugreek powder- 1 teaspoon / Fenugreek seeds- 5
- Curry leaves: A sprig
Instructions
Cook the lentils
- Wash the toor dal thoroughly under running water.
- In a pressure cooker, add the toor dal, ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 2 cups of water.
- Cook the dal in high flame for 1 whistle and then simmer it for 10 mins until it becomes soft and mushy. Mash it well with the back side of the ladle and set aside.
Chop the Vegetables
- Wash the vegetables in water and chop them into small pieces.
- Extract Tamarind Juice
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for few minutes.
- Squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice and discard the left over pulp. If using tamarind paste, you can skip this step.
Prepare the Sambar
- In a pressure cooker, combine the mashed dal, tamarind juice, salt , tomatoes, mixed vegetables and shallots.
- Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sambar and cook them in high flame for 2 whistles and switch off the stove
- Once the pressure is released. Add sambar masala and simmer it for 5 mins for the flavours to get absorbed.
- Adjust the salt to taste.
Prepare the Tempering
- Heat oil or ghee in a small pan.
- Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
- Add urad dal, fenugreek, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Pour this tempering over the sambar and mix well.
Garnish and Serve
- Now garnish the sambar with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve it hot with steamed rice, idlis, or dosas.
Notes
- Adding drumstick imparts a unique flavour to the sambar making it more aromatic
- Do not add salt while pressure cooking lentils, as it may prevent them from cooking
- Adjust the tamarind, sambar powder, and salt to achieve a perfect balance of various flavors.
- Freshly ground homemade sambar powder makes your sambar more aromatic and flavourful.