Traditional South Indian Sambar

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For cooking dal

• ½ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
• 2 cups water
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder

Vegetables

Choose any 1–2 cups of vegetables such as:

• Drumstick (moringa)
• Carrot
• Pumpkin
• Brinjal (eggplant)
• Onion or shallots

Tamarind

• Small lemon-sized ball of tamarind (or 1 tbsp tamarind paste)
• 1 cup warm water

Spices

• 1½ tbsp sambar powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp jaggery (optional)

Tempering

• 1 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds (optional)
• 1–2 dried red chilies
• A few curry leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

Cooking Method

1. Cook the dal

• Wash the toor dal.
• Pressure cook with water and turmeric for 3–4 whistles (or until soft).
• Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.

2. Cook the vegetables

• Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the juice.
• In a pot, add the vegetables and tamarind water.
• Cook until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add spices

• Add sambar powder, salt, and jaggery (if using).
• Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add the dal

• Add the mashed dal.
• Add extra water if needed to get a medium-thick consistency.
• Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Temper

• Heat oil or ghee in a small pan.
• Add mustard seeds; let them splutter.
• Add cumin, red chilies, curry leaves, and hing.
• Pour this tempering over the sambar.

6. Rest and serve

• Let the sambar rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve hot with rice, idli, dosa, or vada.

Tips for Better Flavor

• Shallots (small onions) give a more authentic taste.
• Drumstick and pumpkin are classic vegetables for sambar.
• A little ghee added at the end enhances the aroma.
• Homemade sambar powder makes a noticeable difference, but a good store-bought powder works well too.