South Indian Sambar

This South Indian staple requires no introduction. It's traditionally prepared and balanced with staple dishes such as idli, medu vada, dosa and uttapam among others. The recipe is quite tasty and the cooking aroma will make your mouth water. At heart, it is a medley of vegetables, which makes it easy to eat and relatively healthy.

Soaking Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients for Sambar Powder:

• 6 to 7 dry red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper seeds
• 1 1/4 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 8 to 9 fenugreek seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toovar dal (yellow pigeon peas)
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 6 to 7 dry curry leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds

Ingredients for Sambar:

• 3/4 cup toovar dal
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced and steamed 
• 7 to 8 drumsticks, steamed 
• 1/4 cup green capsicum, diced
• 1/4 cup red capsicum, diced
• 1/2 cup dudhi (calabash), diced and steamed 
• 1/4 cup squash/zucchini, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida 
• 2 to 3 dry red chilies
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 6 to 7 curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons green coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups water (depending on how thick you want the sambar)

Directions:

1. First, for the powder, roast all the ingredients noted above except hing and turmeric powder. Do not burn any of the spices as you roast them. After a few minutes, add hing and turmeric powder and let it all cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, grind them together in a mixer to make the sambar powder.  (You may also use store-bought sambar powder, if you are short on time)
2. Wash the toovar dal thoroughly and soak for 20 minutes before draining. Combine the washed dal and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 4 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the cooker. Keep the dal aside.
3. In a large pan/pot, heat the oil and add jeera, mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida/hing.
4. Once they are well fried, add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well and close the lid for a couple of minutes until the tomato becomes soft and boiled.
5. Add capsicum, zucchini, all of the steamed vegetables, the toovar dal paste and mix well.
6. Cook on low flame, add tamarind paste and water. Mix it well until everything is boiled.
7. Once boiled, add 2 teaspoons of the sambar powder prepared earlier, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes. (You may keep the extra sambar powder in your refrigerator for next time)
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and the sambar is ready to serve.

Sambar

Sambar powder