Sambar is South Indian Lentil and Vegetable curry dish typically used with rice, idli, dosa, chappati or just as a soup.  This dish is very healthy and nutritious as bare minimum oil is used only at the end of this dish.  Healty and Nutritious vegetables are used in this dish along with Yellow Lentil (Tur Dal) which is full of protein.  The choice of vegetables is based on personal liking and are personal.  Each vegetable lends a different flavour and taste.  Shallots is part of authentic Sambar, however I used normal red onions only, which is fine too.  Sallots and Red Onion can also be used.  Below ingredients is what I used.  You can always add or remove few vegetables in Sambar.  Take down the recipe and for sure try this at home.  You and your family will love it.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Tur Dal (Yellow Lentil) -Half Kg.  Washed and cleaned. Soak it in clean water for atleast one hour.
  • Onion – 3 medium sized – sliced into cubes.
  • Red Pumpkin – 200 gms – chopped into square cubes on 1 X 1 inch.
  • White Pumpkin – 200 gms – chopped into square cubes on 1 X 1 inch.
  • Drum Stick (Sengi) – 2 – cleaned and cut into 2 inch pieces.
  • Beans – 100 gms – cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces.
  • Carrot – 2 medium size – cleaned and cut into half inch size.
  • Baigan (Aubergine or Brinjal) – 2 smal size – cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces.
  • Tomato -2 medium size – cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces.
  • Green Chillies – 1 smal size – just slit from middle.
  • Concentrated Tamarind Pulp – Half cup.
  • Jaggery or Gud – 2 tbs.
  • Cooking Oil – 2 tbs.
  • Rai or Mustard seeds – 2 tbs.
  • Urad Dal (white dal) – 2 tbs.
  • Curry leaves  – 2 tbs.
  • Dry Red Chillies – 2 pieces – break it into half.
  • Hing (Asafoetida) powder – 1 tbs.
  • Sambar powder (I used Everest Sambar Masala) – 2 tbs.
  • Red Chilli powder – Half tsp.
  • Turmeric powder – Half tsp.
  • Salt to taste.

Method:

  • Take a pressure cooker.  Add soaked Yellow Lentil or Tur Dal.  Add 2-3 cups of water. Add Turmeric powder and pinch of salt.  Cook the Tur Dal in the pressure cooker until Dal is completely cooked – for 5 or  6 whistles.
  • After 5 whistles, allow the cooker to cool down.  Open the lid and Mash the Tur Dal into a paste and keep it aside.
  • Take a big and deep Kadai or Pan.
  • Add 4 cups of water. Heat it up, allow it to boil.
  • Add chopped red onion, white pumpkin, red pumpkin, drum stick, tomato, green chilli, beans, carrot, baigan, and boil them until the vegetables are half cooked.
  • Add little Turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and sambar masala.  Mix them well and continue boil the vegetables until 3/4th cooked.  This may take time depending on variety of vegetables you have used.  In my case I kept checking whether beans were cooked or not as beans take maximum time to cook compared to all the vegetables I used.
  • Add Tamarind Pulp.  Mix well and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Add Mashed Tur Dal (yellow lentil).  Mix them well and allow them to cook and infuse al the flavours into each other.  Cover the lid.  This may take another 8 to 10 minutes on slow flame.
  • Add Jaggery or Gud into the kadai.  Mix it well and cover it with a lid.
  • Check the vegetables, it should be cooked completely by now.  
  • Reduce the flame to minimum and let it cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.
  • In another cooking flame, take a small but deep pan.  Add 2 tbs of cooking oil and heat it up nicely.
  • Prepare the Tampering.  Add broken red chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal and hing (asafoetida).  Let it splutter.
  • Pour this Tampering straight into the boiling Sambar Kadai and mix it well.
  • Cover the lid and shut off the flame.
  • Leave it for 10 to 12 minutes with lid on.
  • Sambar is ready to be served.  Serve hot.  Goes well with Rice, Idli, Dosa and Chappati.
  • Happy Eating.