Soulful Sambar

Sambar in south Indian household is a daily affair, sharing the recipe for making this soulful sambar in simple and easy method.

A basic sambar recipe will have a mix or one or two types of vegetables along with lentils, tamarind, sambar powder and a few spices.

Ingredients

For Sambar:

  • Tamarind - 1-2 tbsp
  • Toor Dal - 100 grams
  • Cut Veggies - 1 cup
  • Turmeric - 1 spoon
  • Curry Leaves - 5-6
  • Mustard Seeds - 1 small spoon
  • Salt - As per taste

Preparation

Making Sambar

  • Soak 1 tablespoon tamarind in ⅓ cup of hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze and set aside the tamarind puree.
  • Rinse and add about 100 grams of toor dal, then pressure cook for 4 whistles in a cooker with 1.5 liters of water. Make sure the dal is soft and mushy; keep it aside.
  • Cut your choice of vegetables – ash gourd, brinjals, okra, drumsticks, carrots, or small onions. It can be a mixed bag of veggies or a single vegetable, as per your preference. (I usually use only one vegetable, preferring ash gourd or drumsticks the most).
  • Add around 1.5 to 2 cups of water, or enough to cover the cut veggies. To this, add some salt (as per taste) and turmeric, then let it cook until soft.
  • Once the vegetables are cooked until soft, add the tamarind puree to the cooked vegetables along with 2-3 tbsp of Soulful Sambar Podi for aroma. Allow the mixture to cook until the sambar podi is well absorbed by the veggies.
  • Add the cooked toor dal to this mixture. Check the salt, adding more if needed. If the sambar consistency is thick, add a little more water to reach a medium consistency.
  • Let it boil until a froth forms, then cover it with a lid.

Seasoning:

  • In a small pan or tadka pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil (coconut, sesame, refined, or even ghee), then add 1 tbsp of mustard seeds, 5-6 curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing) if desired. Allow the seasoning to crackle, then add it to the sambar and close the lid.
  • Serve with your choice of food, like idli, dosa, medu vada, uthappam, or pair it with steaming hot rice for a comforting, nutritious, and filling meal.

Note:

  • You can also add freshly ground coconut to the podi and blend it to give the sambar a variation, or add a spoonful of jaggery for a slightly sweet taste.