Carrot Sambharo
Carrot sambharo is the best Gujarati-style side dish for your meal. It is nothing but a slightly crunchy, warm salad and is called ‘gajar no sambharo’ or ‘Gajar marcha no sambharo’ in the Gujarati language.
I have shared 2 methods below. Every household has its own version of making it. One is I have grown up eating it and my mom makes it all the time. The second version is from my in-law’s house.
❤️ About This Carrot Sambharo Recipe
Sambharo is a term that is used for stir-fried veggies (without any spices) that are still crunchy and not completely cooked.
Sambharo can be served as a side with your meal (such as dal-chawal, roti-sabzi). It can be served as an accompaniment for your snacks like fafda, gathia.
The three most common sambharo recipes are carrot sambharo, cabbage sambharo and papaya sambharo. Sometimes you’ll find a mix of cabbage carrot sambharo (kobi gajar no sambharo).
🧾 Ingredient Notes
Here is a pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make this carrot sambharo recipe. I learned this version from my mother-in-law.
- Carrots: A star ingredient for this.
- Long chili: In India, my mother-in-law uses a local chili variety that is mild-medium spicy. Here in the USA, I find these long green chilies in Indian grocery stores. These are sometimes available in Shoprite as well, next to Jalapeno and Poblano peppers. These are a little spicy, so always remove the seeds and veins.
- Only hing and turmeric powder are used. No other spice powders are required.
👩🍳 How To Make Carrot Sambharo? (Method 1)
1) Wash and peel the carrots. Cut the carrots into sticks (2 inches long and less than ¼ inches thick). For that cut, the carrot into 2 inches pieces, cut into half, remove the core, and slice it into sticks.
2) To prepare green chili, remove the stem and cut it in half vertically. Remove the seeds and veins of the chili. Then cut into 2 inches long slices.
1, 2) Heat the oil in a kadai or pan on medium heat. Once hot add turmeric powder and hing. Stir to distribute evenly in the oil.
3, 4) Add prepared carrots and chili along with salt. Mix well.
5, 6) Cover the pan partially and cook until carrots are 70% cooked (meaning they are still crunchy to bite) and not completely soft.
This version of carrot sambharo is served as a side with your meal such as dal-rice, roti-sabzi, kadhi-rice, etc. Here in the below pic, I have served with rice and khatta moong.
👩🍳 Step By Step Photo (Method 2)
This version is my mom’s recipe. You’ll need grated carrots and finely chopped green chili to add some heat. For the tempering mustard seeds and sesame seeds are used. A few drops of lemon juice will perk up the flavors.
1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2, 3) Add sesame seeds and green chilies. Saute for 30-40 seconds and sesame seeds may start to fly out of the pan and splutter.
4, 5) Add grated carrot and salt. Mix and cook uncovered until carrots are half-cooked and still crunchy.
6) Lastly, squeeze fresh lemon juice and mix.
This grated carrot sambharo goes well with snacks like gathia, fafda, dhokla, etc. This can be served as a side with your meal as well.
💭 Expert Tips For Carrot Sambharo
- Add a handful of shredded cabbage to make kobi gajar no sambharo.
- You can use ready-shredded carrots or matchstick carrots to save some chopping time.
- For small kids or toddlers, you can cook the carrot completely until soft (yet hold the shape) so they can chew easily.
Adjust the spice level:
- Use only half chili to reduce the spice level.
- To make it mild, use bell pepper (capsicum) or any other mild flavor pepper.
Did you try this carrot sambharo recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.
Carrot Sambharo Recipe
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients
For Version 1:
- 2 cups Carrots, cut into sticks
- ½ cup Long chili, cut into sticks
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For Version 2 (Grated Carrots):
- 2 cups Carrots, grated
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoon Sesame seeds
- 1 Green chili, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Lemon juice or Lime juice
Instructions
Version 1:
- Wash and peel the carrots. Cut the carrots into sticks (2 inches long and less than ¼ inches thick). For that, cut the carrot into 2 inches pieces, cut it into half, remove the core, and slice it into sticks.
- To prepare green chili, remove the stem and cut it in half vertically. Remove the seeds and veins of the chili. Then cut into 2 inches long slices.
- Heat the oil in a kadai or pan on medium heat. Once hot add turmeric powder and hing. Stir to distribute evenly in the oil.
- Add prepared carrots and chili along with salt. Mix well.
- Cover the pan partially and cook until carrots are 70% cooked (meaning they are still crunchy to bite) and not completely soft.
Version 2:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add sesame seeds and green chilies. Saute for 30-40 seconds and sesame seeds may start to fly out of the pan and splutter.
- Add grated carrot and salt. Mix and cook uncovered until carrots are half-cooked and still crunchy.
- Lastly, squeeze fresh lemon juice and mix.
Notes
- Adjust the spice level: Use only half chili to reduce the spice level.
- To make it mild, use bell pepper (capsicum) or any other mild flavor pepper.
- Add a handful of shredded cabbage to make kobi gajar no sambharo.
- You can use ready-shredded carrots or matchstick carrots to save some chopping time.
a little hot for me but very very tasty all the same.
Glad that you liked the flavors.
Skip or reduce the green chilies to make it less hot.
love your recipes ,great website ,keep up the good work
Thank you.