Healthy

Sambar

Name: Sambar
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Time to cook

45 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Serves

A popular South Indian dish made with lentils, vegetables, and a blend of spices. This piping-hot dish is traditionally served with rice, idli, or dosa.

Ingredients

Toor Dal

0.25 cup

Yellow Split Moong Dal

1 tbsp

Cold Pressed Olive Oil

1 tsp

Onion Raw

5 medium

Tomatoes

1 small

Carrots

1 small

Green Chillies

1 chilli

Red Chilli Powder

0.5 tsp

Tamarind

0.25 tbsp

Turmeric

1 pinch

Coriander Leaves

1 tbsp

Water

0.5 cup

Salt

1 pinch

Cold Pressed Olive Oil

1 tsp

Mustard Seeds

0.5 tsp

Urad Dal

0.25 Tsp

Asafoetida

1 pinch

Curry Leaves

1 sprig

Sambar Masala

0.25 tsp

Step-by-step instructions to cook

Prep

Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20-30 minutes until soft.

Once softened, squeeze the tamarind in the water to make tamarind pulp. Strain and discard the seeds and strands.

Rinse the toor dal and moong dal, then drain before using.

Add the rinsed dals to a pressure cooker with water, oil, and turmeric powder.

Pressure cook the dal for 5 to 6 whistles or until mushy. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.

Open the cooker and mash the cooked dal well, then set it aside.

Chop the green chili and coriander leaves.

Dice the onions, tomatoes, and carrots.

Cooking

In another pressure cooker heat some oil.

Add onions, tomato, and green chili and sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes turn mushy.

Add the cooked and mashed dal to the pot. Rinse the cooker with some water add it to the pot along with the carrots and mix everything well.

Cook covered for 10-12 minutes for the veggies to get cooked. Check if the carrots are cooked by pricking with a spoon or fork. If it easily goes through, it's done. Otherwise, cook for a few more minutes.

Add the tamarind pulp and red chili powder and mix well. Let the sambar boil.

Meanwhile, prepare the tadka (tempering) - In a small pan, heat oil.

Add mustard seeds, urad dal, a pinch of asafoetida (hing), and a few curry leaves, and let it splutter.

Finally, add sambar powder and salt, give it a quick mix, and immediately switch off the heat to avoid burning.

Add this to the boiling sambar and mix it well. Boil for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.