Sambar Recipe, How to Make Sambar

Method15 steps · about 50 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse the ¾ cup toor dal several times until the water runs clear; drain and discard the rinse water.

   Uses ¾ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas) · Water for rinsing lentils and vegetables; discard

2. 2

   Step 2: Cook the rinsed dal in the measured 2 cups water until soft and mushy. Choose one method: a stovetop pressure cooker for 2–4 whistles, an Instant Pot pressure cycle for 9 minutes, or a covered ordinary pot until soft, adding extra water only as needed. For a pressure cooker, let pressure release before opening. Mash the cooked dal smooth and set aside.

   Instant Pot pressure cycle only; otherwise cook until soft · 9 minUses rinsed drained toor dal · 2 cups water for cooking dal · Extra water only if needed for ordinary-pot cooking

3. 3

   Step 3: Rinse the vegetables. Dice the onion or peel the shallots. Lightly scrape the moringa pods and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Dice the tomato (100 g) and optional carrot (1), cut optional okra (50 g) into 1-inch pieces, slit the optional green chili (1), and peel and dice optional pumpkin (2–3). Drain and set aside.

   Uses 150 g diced onion (1 medium), or 12–15 peeled shallots · 100 g moringa pods (1–2 pods, about 8–10 pieces) · 100 g tomato (1 large), diced · 1 optional medium carrot, diced · 50 g optional okra (2–3 pods), cut into 1-inch pieces · 1 optional slit green chili · 2–3 optional peeled pumpkin pieces, each about 1 inch · Water for rinsing lentils and vegetables; discard

4. 4

   Step 4: Keep the prepared onion or shallots separate from the other prepared vegetables until sautéing.

   Uses prepared onion or shallots and mixed vegetables

5. 5

   Step 5: If making fresh sambar powder, dry-roast the 4–5 mild dried chilies, 1 tsp urad dal and 1 tbsp chana dal until golden and crunchy. Add 1 tbsp coriander seeds and roast until aromatic, then remove to a plate. Skip this and the next step if using 2 tbsp ready-made powder.

   Uses 4–5 mild Kashmiri or byadgi dried chilies for homemade powder · 1 tsp urad dal for homemade powder · 1 tbsp chana dal for homemade powder · 1 tbsp coriander seeds for homemade powder

6. 6

   Step 6: For the homemade powder, roast its ¼–½ tsp fenugreek seeds until slightly dark. Lower the heat, add its ½ tsp cumin seeds and roast for 1 minute until aromatic. Cool these and the spices from step 5 completely, then grind together finely.

   Uses first roasted homemade-powder spices · ¼–½ tsp fenugreek seeds for homemade powder · ½ tsp cumin seeds for homemade powder

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat the separate 1 tsp sauté oil in a large pot. Add the prepared onion or shallots and sauté for 1 minute, then add the other prepared vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes.

   Uses 1 tsp oil for vegetable sauté · prepared onion or shallots and other vegetables

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir in the optional ½–¾ tsp red chili powder; omit it if using ready-made sambar powder. Pour in the 4 cups vegetable-cooking water and begin simmering.

   Uses sautéed onion and mixed vegetables · ½–¾ tsp optional red chili powder · 4 cups vegetable-cooking water

9. 9

   Step 9: Once the vegetable-pot water is hot, draw ¼ cup from that pot into a bowl. Soak the 1–2 tbsp tamarind and optional 1 tbsp jaggery in this water; squeeze and strain the extract, discarding fibrous pulp. Reserve the extract while the vegetables continue cooking.

   Uses ¼ cup liquid drawn from the vegetable pot · 1–2 tbsp tamarind for extract · 1 tbsp optional jaggery

10. 10

    Step 10: Let the vegetables in the pot become completely tender before adding sour tamarind. Stir in ¼ tsp turmeric unless already present in the chosen powder, the full homemade powder batch from step 6 OR the 2 tbsp ready-made powder, and the ¾ tbsp source-card salt, adjusting the initial salt to taste. Add some of the strained tamarind extract from step 9, reserving the rest for adjustment.

    Uses Vegetables with the pot liquid remaining after the ¼ cup draw · ¼ tsp turmeric, unless already in chosen sambar powder · Full homemade batch, only if selected · 2 tbsp ready-made sambar powder, instead of homemade batch · ¾ tbsp salt, adjusted to taste · Initial portion of strained extract; reserve the rest

11. 11

    Step 11: Cook the seasoned vegetables for 3–5 minutes. The vegetables, including the moringa seeds, should be tender before adding the dal.

    Simmer Sambar · 5 minUses tender vegetables with powder and tamarind

12. 12

    Step 12: Stir in the smooth mashed dal from step 2 and bring to a gentle boil briefly. Taste and add extra salt or some remaining tamarind extract only if needed. Thin with a little extra hot water only if necessary, then add the ¼ cup chopped coriander. Avoid a prolonged boil after the dal is added.

    Uses seasoned tender-vegetable sambar base · smooth mashed cooked dal · Extra salt only if needed after tasting · Unused tamarind extract, only if needed · Extra hot water only to adjust finished consistency · ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

13. 13

    Step 13: Separately heat the full 1 tbsp tempering ghee or oil in a small pan. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds, optional ½ tsp cumin, 1 pinch fenugreek seeds and optional 1–2 broken dried red chilies. When the mustard pops, add the 1 sprig curry leaves and fry until crisp.

    Uses 1 tbsp ghee or oil for tempering · ½ tsp mustard seeds for tempering · ½ tsp optional cumin seeds for tempering · 1 pinch fenugreek seeds for tempering · 1–2 optional dried red chilies for tempering · 1 sprig curry leaves for tempering

14. 14

    Step 14: Turn off the tempering-pan heat and stir in ⅛ tsp asafoetida. Pour the fragrant tempering over the hot sambar from step 12 and stir to combine.

    Uses crisp curry-leaf and spice temper · ⅛ tsp asafoetida for tempering · hot dal-and-vegetable sambar

15. 15

    Step 15: Serve hot with rice, idli, vada or dosa.

    Uses finished tempered sambar