Sambar-A Tried and Tested Recipe

I like to call it my North Indian Sambar, just because I have strayed from the traditional use of some ingredients, for the traditional tamarind, I have  used lemon juice instead. This was done initially because, tamarind was just not available in my tiny town and lemon juice was just convenient. I also used Minced ginger in the end, which is what i normally do for most of my North Indian style dals and kadhi. I used ginger along with Hing to reduce gas and make it easily digestible. With the sourness coming from tomatoes and lemon juice and heat from chilies, the hint of sugar,my North Indian touch, makes it a good balance of sweet,spicy and sour,Just the way i like it!

 

 

Sambar is a meal in itself, it has the protein and Carbohydrates from the Arhar/Toor dal and the goodness of all the vegetables. It is such a versatile dish, because you can use whatever is in season or what is local to your region.

I used Zucchini because that’s in season and the traditional Lauki/Ghiya/Bottlegourd is not easily available in the small town that I live in. I like my sambar a little thin and soupy and can eat bowlfuls of it just by itself!

 

Tastes great with Brown Rice Dosa, Coconut Chatni and Aloo/Potato filing or with a steaming bowl of rice or Quinoa(If you are watching your carb intake).

Moving on to the recipe, here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-

Sambar-A Tried and Tested Recipe

Aanchal Gupta

Course Main course/Breakfast
Cuisine South Indian/Indian

Ingredients

  

  • 1 Cup Arhar/Toor Dal
  • 1/3 cup Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp Haldi/Turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tbsp Ghee/Oil Use oil for Vegan option
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2-3 Tomatoes chopped
  • 1 small zucchini chopped(Can Use Lauki/Ghiya/Bottlegourd too)
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 4-5 Green Chilies optional
  • 2-3 Dry Red Chilies
  • 1 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai
  • 1 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds/jeera
  • 12-15 curry leaves
  • 3 tsp Sambar Powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
  • 3 cups water
  • Salt as per taste
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon/lime May use tamarind
  • Chopped Cilantro/Coriander/dhania for Garnishing
  • 1 tsp Minced Ginger

Instructions

 

To Boil the Dal

  • Take First five ingredients and put in a pressure cooker and give 8-10 whistles,we want the dal mushy and overcooked,whisk it if needed.(You can use a pot or crockpot if you don’t have a pressure cooker).

For Sambar

  • In a pan or Pressure cooker add Ghee and heat it up
  • Add Mustard seeds/rai, Cumin/Jeera and Urad Dal.
  • When the mustard seeds crackle and the Urad dal starts turning golden,add green and Red chilies,curry leaves,Hing and stir.
  • Add chopped onions and cook till pink.
  • Add chopped carrots,tomatoes,zucchini and Coriander and sambar powder and stir well.
  • Add the vegetable mix to the boiled Dal along with 3 cups of water and cook together till the flavors blend in. I gave one whistle in my pressure cooker.
  • Let pressure release normally from the pressure cooker and add sugar,lemon juice,minced ginger and top with chopped cilantro.

Notes

I used Zucchini,but you can use lauki/Ghiya. I used lemon juice in the end, but you can replace with tamarind/pulp/paste. Its not easily available where I live. Tamarind will make the sambar a bit dark in color. Since Arhar/Toor dal can cause gas, I use Ginger in the end as it makes it easily digestible and gives a very nice flavor.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-

Ingredients

Boil Dal with Salt,Turmeric,tomatoes and water till soft and mushy.

Use a whisk to make the dal really smooth

In hot ghee/oil, add Mustard/rai,Cumin/Jeera,Urad dal, Curry leaves and Red chilies

Add onions and stir till pink

Add Carrots and tomatoes

Add Coriander powder,sambar powder,salt and stir well. Add water and give one whistle or cook till done. Add Sugar(optional),minced ginger and lemon juice.

Top with Cilantro

Enjoy with Brown Rice Dosa, Coconut Chatni and Aloo/Potato Filling

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Love,thanks and appreciation

Aanchal

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5 Responses

    • Aanchal Gupta

      Thanks Rajeshwari, I hope you will like the North Indian version as much as we do. Please let me know how it turns out.

    • Aanchal Gupta

      You can use lemon juice. You get the sour taste without turning the Sambar dark.

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