Name: South Indian Sambar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¼ cup Split Pigeon Peas, split pigeon peas, soaked; ¾ cup Mixed Vegetables, drumsticks, carrots, pumpkin, ash gourd, thickly chopped; 5 Shallots, peeled and kept whole; ½ Tomato, roughly chopped; 1½ tbsp Tamarind Paste; 1 tbsp Sambar Masala, adjust for spice level; ⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ tsp Jaggery, optional, to balance tartness; ¾ tsp Salt; 2 cup Water; ¾ tbsp Sesame Oil, gingelly oil is traditional; ½ tsp Mustard Seeds; ⅛ tsp Fenugreek Seeds, methi dana; 1 Dried Red Chili Peppers, broken; 8 Curry Leaves; ⅛ tsp Asafoetida; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

1 hr 20 mintotal

50 min hands-on30 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

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Method

Pressure cook the soaked lentils with a portion of the measured water, turmeric, and the oil for 4-5 whistles until exceptionally soft. Mash thoroughly with a whisk and set aside.
In a spacious pot, combine the prepared mixed vegetables, shallots, and tomatoes. Add the remaining water and boil until the vegetables are half-cooked, approximately 8-10 minutes.
8–10 min
Incorporate the tamarind paste, salt, and jaggery into the boiling vegetables. Simmer for 5 minutes to eliminate the raw aroma of the tamarind.
5 min
Blend in the sambhar masala. Stir thoroughly and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
3 min
Fold the mashed dal into the vegetable broth. Adjust the consistency with additional water if required, then bring the mixture to a frothy, rolling boil.
Simmer gently for 5 minutes so the tamarind, dal and vegetables taste unified.
5 min
To prepare the tempering, heat the sesame oil in a tadka pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Follow with the fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté briskly for 10 seconds.
10 sec
Carefully pour the hot tempering over the boiling sambar. Immediately remove from heat and cover tightly to trap the aromatic steam.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves just prior to serving.

How to tell it's done

Presents as a moderately thin, vibrantly aromatic, tangy-spicy lentil broth generously punctuated with soft, flavor-infused vegetables.

Getting it right

Tip

Use whole shallots when you can and watch the fenugreek seeds closely in the tempering. Burnt methi makes sambar bitter.

What to serve it with

An essential component of the South Indian repertoire. Serve piping hot accompanying Idli, Dosa, Vada, or premium steamed rice.

Common mistakes

The sambar tastes raw or thin.: Cook the vegetables until tender, simmer the tamarind and sambar powder with the dal, and pour the tempering in at the end. Resting covered helps the aroma settle.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate sambar in a shallow covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until hot and loosen with water if needed; freeze for up to 2 months, though the vegetables soften after thawing.

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