Sambar is a south Indian version of stew made with fresh vegetables, lentils, tamarind paste and sambar powder. Generally vegetables like squash, bottle-gourd, eggplant, okra, carrots or drumsticks are used in sambar. I also make the sambar sans the sambar powder with freshly ground paste aka the arachuvitta version with shallots which tastes amazing. Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable which we all love and I used zucchini for this sambar.
Here is how I make sambar watch video:
Soak lemon size tamarind in a cup of warm water for about 15 minutes. Filter the water after squeezing the tamarind pulp thoroughly and then discard the remains. Alternatively, you can skip this and use 2 tablespoons of readily available tamarind paste.
Pressure cook toor dal (pigeon peas) for 5-6 whistles. Its should be cooked thoroughly and smoothly.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add the fenugreek seeds.
Next add finely sliced onions, curry leaves and green chilly and sauté till onions turn translucent.
Next add tomatoes, turmeric, sambar powder and salt and cook till tomatoes are soft and oil leaves the gravy.
Add the zucchini and tamarind water and 3 more cups of water extra. If using tamarind paste add 2 tablespoons and add 4 cups of water and bring everything to a boil. The veggies should be cooked properly. It takes approximately 15 minutes.
Next add the pressure cooked dal and cook for 5 minutes more.
Add grated jaggery and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with piping hot rice idli or dosas.
Here is the printable version of the recipe:
Sambar
South Indian version of stew made with fresh vegetables, lentils and tamarind paste
Ingredients
- • 1 tsp mustard seeds
- • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- • ½ cup onion sliced
- • 6-8 curry leaves
- • 1 green chilli
- • 1 tomato
- • 1 tsp turmeric powder
- • 2 tablespoons sambar powder
- • Salt as per taste
- • 1 medium zucchini cubed
- • Marble sized tamarind
- • 1 cup toor dal
- • 1 tsp grated jaggery
- • Cilantro/ coriander for garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Soak lemon size tamarind in a cup of warm water for about 15 minutes. Filter the water after squeezing the tamarind pulp thoroughly and then discard the remains. Alternatively, you can skip this and use 2 tablespoons of readily available tamarind paste.
- Step 2 Pressure cook toor dal (pigeon peas) for 5-6 whistles. Its should be cooked thoroughly and smoothly.
- Step 3 Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add the fenugreek seeds.
- Step 4 Next add finely sliced onions, curry leaves and green chilly and sauté till onions turn translucent.
- Step 5 Next add tomatoes, turmeric, sambar powder and salt and cook till tomatoes are soft and oil leaves the gravy.
- Step 6 Add the zucchini and tamarind water and 3 more cups of water extra. If using tamarind paste add 2 tablespoons and add 4 cups of water and bring everything to a boil. The veggies should be cooked properly. It takes approximately 15 minutes.
- Step 7 Next add the pressure-cooked dal and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Step 8 Add grated jaggery and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with piping hot rice idli or dosas.
