Sambar: A South-Indian delicacy

Posted by Sonali Kale on March 12th, 2019

A very popular South Indian dish, Sambar, tastes yum when served with Dosa, Idli, and Vada. It is known to be a very healthy recipe that is packed with loads of vegetables. It can also be consumed along with rice. Prepared with a blend of dals, loads of vegetables, and aromatic spices, Sambar can also be consumed by diet conscious people. It is a perfect amalgam of spices and veggies.

Ingredients:

For Sambar:

• 3 brinjals (eggplant) stem removed

• 1 cup Toor dal

• 1 teaspoon sambar powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Few fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (dhaniya seeds)

• 2 cloves garlic

• 8 baby onions

• 1/4 teaspoon haldi powder (turmeric powder)

• 1/2 cup pureed tamarind (imli)

• 1 tablespoon refined oil

• 1/2 cup chana dal

• 1 whole red chili

• 1/2 tablespoon grated coconut

For Tempering:

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (Rai)

• 1 handful of curry leaves (Kadi patte)

How to make Sambar:

1. Take a frying pan and heat some oil in it. As the oil heats, keeping the flame medium, add fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), chana dal, coriander seeds (dhaniya seeds), dry whole red chilies, 2 baby onions, garlic, and grated coconut. Mix all the ingredients and let it fry for about a minute. Once the mixture is ready, remove it from the flame and keep it aside. Let the mixture cool. Then grind the mixture in a grinder and keep it aside.

2. Now take a pan and heat some oil in it. Once the oil is heated, add remaining baby onions and brinjals. Saute it over a medium flame for a minute or two. Now add pureed tamarind and again saute for a minute. Now add salt, haldi powder, sambar powder. Add much of water. The water will depend on the quantity of the Sambar you want to prepare. Now add the ground masala, toor dal (boiled and blended) and let it boil on a low flame.

3. Now it's time for tempering. For tempering, heat some oil in a separate pan and fry mustard seeds (rai) and curry leaves. Add the tempering to the Sambar and mix it well.

4. Garnish the tasty Sambar with grated coconut, fried red chilies and some finely chopped coriander leaves.

5. Delicious Sambar in its authentic South Indian style to serve with either coconut chutney or red chutney. Enjoy this lip-smacking recipe with your family.

Author’s Bio:

The author now resides in Mumbai but is actually from the South. No doubt that his favorite cuisine is South Indian. And of course, loves Sambar especially the one made by his mother. He also is a cook and tries to make it the same way as his mother.