Sambar

Sambar

Sambar

Veg Vegan

Tamarind and toor dal vegetable stew tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chillies, and curry leaves — the essential accompaniment to South Indian rice, idli, and dosai. Each South Indian cuisine has its own spice blend and vegetable combination; the Chettinad version uses freshly ground coconut and a generous hand with dried chillies.

Cuisines

Chettinad Tamil Brahmin Kongunadu Madras Udupi Coorgi Mysore Kerala Andhra

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Goes well with

Idli Idli

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 30 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Toor Dal 1/2 cup Toor Dal
Mixed Vegetable 1 cup Mixed Vegetable , carrot, beans, potato, drumstick
Onion 1 medium Onion , chopped
Tomato 1 small Tomato , chopped
sambar powder 2 tablespoons Sambar powder
turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
tamarind paste 1 teaspoon Tamarind paste
water 2 cups Water
oil 2 tablespoons Oil
Mustard Seed 1 teaspoon Mustard Seed
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , seeds
asafoetida 1 pinch Asafoetida
Curry Leaf 1 sprig Curry Leaf
Cilantro 2 tablespoons Cilantro , chopped
salt — Salt , to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the toor dal thoroughly and pressure cook it with 1 cup of water and turmeric powder for 3-4 whistles until soft.
  2. 2 In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
  3. 3 Add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
  4. 4 Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft.
  5. 5 Add the mixed vegetables, sambar powder, and salt. Sauté for a few minutes.
  6. 6 Add the cooked dal, tamarind paste, and 1 cup of water. Mix well.
  7. 7 Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the flavors blend.
  8. 8 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a richer flavor, add a small piece of jaggery while simmering the sambar.