Sambar
I cannot say enough good things about today’s sambar recipe. It has never let me down and its my favorite ever since I chanced upon Hemantji’s sambar podi. The key to a good aromatic sambar is ’sambar powder’ and the vegetables that go into its making. There are numerous versions of sambar but this one is note worthy due to the magical sambar powder.
Not only is sambar protein rich but also loaded with nutritional goodness. Tasty with earthy, sweet-tangy flavors and laced with an aromatic whiff of asafoetida and fresh curry leaves. Absolute divine taste. 
Sambar Recipe
Prep & Cooking: 45 mts
Serves 4-5 persons
Cuisine: South Indian
.
1 cup tur dal
3-4 cups of cubed bottlegourd
10-12 small sambar onions (or shallots)
2 medium tomatoes quartered
pinch of turmeric
1 large lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice in 1 cup water)
1 tbsp jaggery or sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tbsps sambar powder
salt to taste
coriander leaves for garnish
For tempering/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tbsp oil/ghee
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida/hing/inguva or 3-4 crushed garlic flakes
2 dry red chilli (tear and de-seed)
10-12 fresh curry leaves
1 Pressure cook dal with 2 cups of water and a pinch of hing. Once pressure cooked, mash, add 2 cups of water, shallots, bottle gourd pieces and turmeric pwd. Bring to a boil, reduce flame and cook for 8-9 mts on low to medium flame.
2 Once vegetables are half cooked, add the tamarind extract, salt and jaggery and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 12-14 mts, till the rawness of the tamarind disappears.
3 Add the sambar pwd and combine well. Let it cook for another 6-7 mts.
4 Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add hing and red chillis and roast for a few seconds. Don’t burn them. Lastly add curry leaves and immediately add to sambar.
5 Turn off heat and place lid. Keep covered for at least an hour and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
6 Serve with tiffins or hot steamed rice and appadam (papad).
Note:
Alternatively, you can pressure cook the vegetables with little water in a separate container. Vegetables like chow chow, drumsticks, lady’s finger, carrots, radish and brinjals are also welcome.
By sailu • Oct 29th, 2009 • Category: All Recipes, Curries & Gravies, Dals & Legumes, Featured, Indian Lentil Recipes, Savories, Snacks & Tiffins, South Indian Recipes, Vegan recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Recipes
Hi sailaja,
Pics looks very inviting.
Sailu garu Sambar chala bavundi….mouthwatering!!!
Sailu,
Can i have a bowl plz?:)
When do you add tomatoes?
Recipe updated!
You’ve convinced me! I’ve bookmarked to try
Hi Sailu,
I have been reading your blog for a longtime and I have also tried some recipes which were really good.
I was just browsing today’s Eenadu newspaper and saw you rice rava upma picture (looks like the stole it from your website). Lazy people, they have no creativity or originality. Just wanted to bring it to your notice.
Thanks for taking the time to inform me, Sharada.
Hi Sailu garu,
Can we use pumpkin? after pressure cooking the vegetables separately, do we mix them with cooked dal, add tamarind water and follow your recipe in the same way? I think fresh curry leaves is also important to get that aroma along with this special sambar powder.
Yes, you can use pumpkin too. Let the mashed dal and tamarind water boil till the rawness of tamarind almost disappears, add the cooked vegetables, cook for another 3-4 mts and follow the rest of the procedure. Yes, fresh curry leaves give that ‘oomph’ to sambar.
Hi Sailu,
the sambar pic is very inviting. i learned to cook sambar from my dance teacher who was from Kerala. i also love to add lots of veggie to it.
Hi Sailu,
Picture looks very inviting. Can you post vegetable biryani recipe, if possible?
Hi Sailu,
Your sambar is very very tasty and
i appreciate your creativity knowledge
as well as both samayal and photography, Sailu.
Take care, Bye…
Hi,
Shailaja Garu,
First I want to thank you for ur creativity, precise measures, instructions, presentation and all little details, also very helpful for starters and of course for everybody. I made several sambar powder recipes. I don’t know what things went wrong, I couldn’t get good taste. I am going to try yours.
Sharada T.
I follow the same recipe. I just add half spoon of ghee while seasoning which takes the sambar to another level.
Absolutely right. I add ghee for seasoning. Infact I have mentioned above in the recipe that ghee can be used for seasoning.
Hardly prepare sambar at home….& this lauki sambar looks good.
Ash…
(http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)
Shailu:
Thank you for posting this recipe. and your writing conveys your enthusiasm for this recipe.
Since M is currently in India with meera, I don’t make any elaborate dishes, but this is something that even I could do. Now I know what I’ll be having for dinner!
Thank you!
The recipe seems easy, but one question, Do we add tomatoes while boiling the dal or … Please let me know.
You can add tomatoes at the time of adding the tamarind extract.
Thanks Sailugaru
Hi Sailu,
Was thinking of making sambar today. Thanks for posting this new recipe.. will try this today..
Regards,
Remya
hi shailu,
i have tried it.
it came out with a great taste.
thank q for a wonderful sambar recipe.
You did not give preparation of home-made sambar podi, Sailu. Pl. update it again if you can. thank you.
Follow the link to sambar podi (in the ingredients list) recipe, Meenakashi. I just blogged home made sambar podi before this post. Home made sambar powder recipe
Hi Sailu,
I am a regular visitor to your blog and tried many recipes, which turned out really wonderful.
recently i have noticed that in eenadu news paper there is a picture of your brown bread pizza. I just want to inform you.
i prepared sambar quite a few times, but it turned out to be some thing else. Tomorrow planning to try your sambar and today i have already prepared your sambar powder.
Thank you!
Thanks for informing me, Lohi. They have not taken my permission before using the images.
Hope you enjoy the sambar recipe.
please can you give me the sambar powder measurements and ingredients, thank you. i want to try it at home. thank you