Sambar recipe - This is simple and basic south Indian sambar recipe. It is the part of their everyday meal for most of households in South Indian states.
In this recipe, I have used mix of vegetables (eggplant, drumstick, carrot, tomato and onion). Don’t prefer any one or more of these? Suggestions are mentioned below.
Here I have used homemade sambar masala powder. I have tried making this with ready made, store bought one and I liked the flavor of Badshah brand.
How to make sambar recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) First soak the tamarind in the warm water for 20-30 minutes.
2) After the soaking time, squeeze and extract the pulp. Strain the mixture. If using seedless tamarind then you may not need to strain it. Keep it aside.
3) While tamarind is soaking, wash the toor dal under running cold water till water runs clear. Take washed dal into pressure cooker.
4) Add water and cover with lid, put the weight on. Let it cook for 5-6 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure go down by itself.
5) Now open the cover and dal should be cooked completely.
6) Now using hand blender, mash/puree the dal. Keep it aside.
7) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.
8) Now add cumin seeds and methi seeds. Let them sizzle a bit.
9) Now add dried red chili and saute for 20-30 seconds.
10) Add green chilies and curry leaves.
11) Now add shallots.
12) Mix and cook till they are translucent or light pink in color.
13) Now add all the veggies (tomato, carrot, drumstick, eggplant).
14) Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes.
15) add salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Stir well. Add around 2 cups of water.
16) Cover with the lid. Cook till the vegetables are soft and tender. Do check in between and add more water if needed.
17) Now add mashed dal and add more water to adjust the consistency. Also add above prepared tamarind water
18) Mix well and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes. Then turn off the stove, add coriander leaves.
It is ready to serve. If not serving right away then keep it covered. Keep in mind that as it sits, the consistency will get thicker.
Serving suggestion: This can be served with many dishes like idli, dosa, vada, uttapam, appam, pongal etc. It can be served with steamed rice as well.
Notes:
- As I said before, you can use your choice of vegetables or use just one vegetable. Depending on what you choose, it imparts its flavor and taste so choose accordingly.
- Taste and flavor also depends on the homemade or what brand of sambar masala powder you are using. Every brand gives different spice level.
- So if you want little spicy sambar, you can add red chili powder at the time of adding other spice powder. Or you increase the green chili quantity.
- Instead of gathering different veggies in small quantity, you can use the frozen pack of sambar mix vegetables. Personally I have not tried it but I have seen in the Indian Grocery store here in USA.
Sambar recipe
Ingredients
For pressure cooking:
- 1 cup Arhar dal (toor dal or split pigeon peas)
- 2 cups Water
For tamarind extract:
- 1 tablespoon Tamarind ** Instead you can use ready-made 2-3 teaspoons of tamarind paste
- ½ cup Water (Boiling hot)
For sambar recipe:
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 8-10 or ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 Dried red chilies
- 1 sprig or 8-10 Curry leaves
- 2 Green chilies slit
- 9-10 Shallots or ⅓ cup sliced onion
- ½ stick or ¼ cup Drumstick cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 or ¼ cup Small baingan (baby eggplant) chopped
- ¼ cup Tomato chopped
- ¼ cup Carrot chopped
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons Sambar powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 ½ +1 ½ cups Water or more or less as needed
- 1 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves chopped finely for garnishing
Instructions
Preparation:
- First soak the tamarind in the warm water for 20-30 minutes.
- After the soaking time, squeeze and extract the pulp. Strain the mixture.
- If using seedless tamarind then you may not need to strain it. Keep it aside.
Pressure cooking the dal:
- Wash the toor dal under running cold water till water runs clear.
- Take washed dal into pressure cooker. Add water and cover with lid, put the weight on.
- Let it cook for 5-6 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure go down by itself.
- Now open the cover and dal should be cooked completely.
- Now using hand blender, mash/puree the dal. Keep it aside.
Making south Indian sambar recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Now add cumin seeds and methi seeds. Let them sizzle a bit.
- Now add dried red chili and saute for 20-30 seconds.
- Add green chilies and curry leaves.
- Now add shallots. Mix and cook till they are translucent or light pink in color.
- Now add all the veggies (tomato, carrot, drumstick, eggplant). Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Also add salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Stir well.
- Add around 2 cups of water. Cover with the lid. Cook till the vegetables are soft and tender.
- Now add mashed dal and add more water to adjust the consistency. Also add above prepared tamarind water
- Mix well and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.
- Then turn off the stove
- add coriander leaves and mix
Looks like a delicious Sambhar recipe with all the necessary vegetables and ingredients. The pictures you have shared of each stage look nice. Keep sharing such posts with special recipes from south. I am a big fan of South Indian food. I am going to try this recipe at home.
Sure. do try and let me know how you like it
Thank you for sharing the ingredients and making of these tasty recipe. I am going to try this on Sunday and lets see how does it taste.
Sure, give it a try.
Happy Cooking!!
I also have a basic recipe for Sambhar which I use everytime I make it. Almost similar to this one, just that I add drumstick while boiling the dal in the cooker. Have you tried that Kanan?
I will try your version soon
Never tried that way.
Will give it a try sometime. Thanks for the suggestion