Sambar

(4 reviews)

Serves: 5 people
Cooking: 40 minutes
Views: 49
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Sambar is a flavorful South Indian stew made with lentils, mixed vegetables, tamarind, and a unique blend of spices known as sambar powder. It's a staple in South Indian meals, often served with rice, idli, or dosa, providing a perfect balance of tangy and spicy flavors. This dish is not only cherished for its taste but also for its nutritional value, being rich in protein, fiber, and essential vitamins.

Ingredients

Directions

Use less than half a cup of Toor dal, ideally between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. Cook it with 1 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric for two whistles. Once done, open the cooker and mash the dal with a spoon before adding salt to taste
Soak a small gooseberry-sized amount of tamarind in 1/2 cup of water.
To the cooked dal, add half a cooked potato, four lady's fingers, and a small tomato quartered. Then, pour in the tamarind water and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Be sure to add the tamarind water gradually, checking the sourness to taste, to avoid adding too much.
You can add one green chili or 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder for some heat. Then, stir in 2 teaspoons of sambar powder and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust the salt and sourness as needed. If necessary, add a bit more sambar powder.
If available, garnish with coriander leaves.
For the seasoning, heat some oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, a few red dry chilies, fenugreek seeds (uluva), and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, pour this mixture into the sambar to infuse it with flavor.
As the sambar cools, it will thicken, so keep this in mind when assessing its consistency and adjusting the thickness to your preference.