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South Indian Sambar (Lentil & Vegetable Curry)

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

  • 0.75-1 cup Toor dal (split pigeon peas)
  • 3-4 cups Water for dal
  • 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 0.5 tsp Salt for dal (optional at start)
  • few drops Oil (prevents frothing)
  • 1 medium Carrot, sliced
  • 1-2 whole Drumstick (moringa pods), cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium Potato, diced
  • 1-2 cups Pumpkin or bottle gourd, cubed
  • 1-2 whole Tomato, chopped
  • 10-15 whole Small onions/shallots, peeled (or 1 large onion sliced)
  • as desired mixed Optional vegetables (eggplant, okra, radish, beans)
  • 1 whole Tamarind, small lemon-sized ball (or paste)
  • 0.5-0.75 cup Warm water for soaking tamarind
  • 2-3 tbsp Sambar powder
  • 0.25-0.5 tsp Turmeric powder (if not in sambar powder)
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (optional)
  • to taste tsp Salt for sambar
  • 1-1 tsp to 1 tbsp Jaggery (optional but traditional)
  • 1-2 tbsp Oil or ghee for tempering
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 0.5 tsp Urad dal (split black gram)
  • 0.25 tsp Fenugreek seeds (optional)
  • 2-4 whole Dried red chilies, broken
  • 1 sprig Curry leaves
  • 0.25 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
  • 1-2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

  1. COOK DAL: Rinse 0.75-1 cup toor dal several times until water runs clearer.
  2. Add to pressure cooker with 3-4 cups water, 0.5 tsp turmeric, few drops oil, and optional salt.
  3. Pressure cook 3-4 whistles on medium heat until dal is completely soft and mushy.
  4. Let pressure release naturally. Open and mash dal well with ladle or masher until smooth.
  5. Set aside (add little hot water later to adjust consistency).
  6. PREPARE TAMARIND: Place small lemon-sized tamarind ball in bowl, add 0.5-0.75 cup warm water, soak 15-30 minutes.
  7. Squeeze well with fingers to extract pulp. Strain and discard fibers/seeds; keep tamarind water aside.
  8. (If using tamarind paste: dissolve 1-2 tbsp paste in 0.5 cup warm water and set aside.)
  9. COOK VEGETABLES WITH SPICES: Heat 1 tbsp oil in deep pan/saucepot.
  10. Add 0.25 tsp fenugreek seeds, let turn slightly golden (do not burn).
  11. Add small onions/shallots and 1 chopped tomato. Sauté until tomato turns mushy and raw smell goes.
  12. Add firm vegetables first - carrot (sliced), drumstick (cut), potato, pumpkin, etc.
  13. Sauté 1-2 minutes.
  14. Add 0.5 tsp turmeric, 2-3 tbsp sambar powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (optional), and salt to taste.
  15. Mix well, pour in 1.5-2 cups water so vegetables just submerged.
  16. Cover and cook 10-12 minutes on medium heat until vegetables almost cooked but not mushy.
  17. COMBINE DAL AND TAMARIND: Once vegetables nearly done, pour in mashed dal along with 0.5 cup water used to rinse cooker (if any).
  18. Add strained tamarind extract. Mix thoroughly.
  19. Adjust consistency with more water if needed - sambar should be pourable but not watery.
  20. Simmer on medium-low 10-15 minutes until everything comes together and raw taste of tamarind/spices disappears.
  21. Optional: add 1 tsp-1 tbsp jaggery to balance flavors, especially if tamarind very sour.
  22. Check salt, sourness (tamarind), and heat (spice) and adjust as needed.
  23. TEMPERING (TADKA): When sambar comes to gentle boil with light froth on top, turn heat to low.
  24. In small tadka pan, heat 1-2 tbsp oil/ghee.
  25. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds; let splutter.
  26. Add 0.5 tsp urad dal, 0.25 tsp hing (asafoetida), 2-4 broken dried red chilies, few curry leaves.
  27. Fry on low-medium until dals golden and curry leaves splutter; do not burn.
  28. Immediately pour this hot tadka over simmering sambar.
  29. Add chopped coriander leaves and give brief stir, then switch off heat.
  30. Serve hot with steamed rice and ghee, idli, dosa, or vada. Sambar thickens as it cools; leave slightly thinner than desired final consistency.