Sambar, the apex dish of any South Indian cuisine, is a lentil based vegetable stew. Many may assume that Sambar is a South Indian invention, but it was actually Chatrapati Sambaji Maharaj of the Maratha kingdom, while experimenting with his dal, accidentally added tamarind and created an early version of Sambar. The Sambar recipe varies from state to state, and even house to house, but the base is constant – vegetables simmered in dal along with spices, tamarind extract and tempered with spice infused ghee. Every grand mother in South India will have her own secret recipe of Sambar masala which has been passed down through the generations, like family heirlooms. Sambar will always remain close to the heart of everyone who has tasted it atleast once, be it the restaurant style breakfast sambar, which is on the sweeter side, or the spicy, lunch version. My version is a pure indulgence recipe of restaurant style breakfast Sambar. Serve it with Dosa of your choice or Idlis for a perfect breakfast.
Details
5 litres
20 minutes
40 minutes
94.5 Kcal/ 100gms
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Ingredients
- For Sambar
Toor Dal 500 gms
Sambar powder (I have used MTR Readymade Sambar powder) 100 gms
Red Chilli powder 20 gms
Cumin powder 10 gms
Turmeric powder 10 gms
Tamarind 100 gms
Jaggery 75 gms
Asafoetida (Hing) 15 gms
Pumpkin 80 gms
Drumsticks 50 gms
Carrot 25 gms
Shallots 25 gms
Brinjal 20 gms
Lady’s Finger (Okra) 20 gms
Coriander leaves chopped 10 gms
- For Tempering
Ghee 20 ml
Mustard Seeds 5 gms
Washed Urad Dal (skinless, split) 5 gms
Cumin Seeds 5 gms
Curry leaves 5 gms
Red Chilli whole 5 gms
Directions
- Cut the pumpkin, carrots, drumsticks, brinjal and lady’s finger into medium sized dices. Peel shallots and keep aside.
- Soak tamarind in water and keep aside.
- Wash and boil toor dal along with water and turmeric powder in a cooker or in a heavy bottom vessel. Cook till dal is over boiled.
- Add sambar powder, red chilli powder and cumin powder. Mix well to avoid any lumps. Continue cooking on medium heat.
- Add the diced pumpkin, carrot, drumsticks to the dal mixture and pour enough water to cook the vegetables.
- Squeeze out the pulp of tamarind along with water and add it to the vegetables.
- Cook till the raw flavour of the tamarind goes and the vegetables are cooked evenly.
- While it is getting cooked, heat a pan, add little oil. Saute shallots, brinjal and lady’s finger on medium flame for 5-6 minutes and add it to the cooked vegetable-dal mixture.
- Add salt and jaggery. Boil for 5 more minutes. Check for seasoning and switch off the flame.
- In a separate pan, heat ghee, add urad dal and saute for a minute. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it splutter.
- Add red chilli whole, curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Immediately pour over the sambar and close it with a lid. Let the tempering get infused into the sambar.
- Add chopped coriander leaves and serve it along with hot crispy Dosa or piping hot steamed Idlis or even steamed Rice and Papad.
Chef’s Twist :-
Add kokum instead of tamarind.
Use any readymade sambar masala like Brahmin’s, Aachi or Eastern. You can also use homemade sambar powder.