Sambar is a lentil-based stew which contains mixed vegetables, tamarind paste, and a special blend of spice powder called sambar powder. It is a South Indian/Tamil recipe and is a staple in most South Indian and Tamil Sri Lankan homes and is usually an accompaniment to Thosai, Idli, Rice, and Vadai.

There are several steps to building a sambar:

Step 1: Pressure cooking the dhal/lentils.

Step 2: cooking the vegetables.

Step 3: preparing the tamarind broth.

Step 4. Mixing of components.

Step 5: finishing and garnishing.

Ingredients

Dhal

• ½ cup thoor dhal (pigeon pea) or maisoor dhal
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 ½ cups water or as needed

Vegetables

• 2 drumsticks, cleaned and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 small potatoes peeled
• Small piece squash peeled
• 4-5 beans
• 1 carrot
• ½ head cauliflower
• 8 pearl onions or 1 small onion halved and sliced
• 1 small egg plant
• 3-4 okra
• Oil for frying

Tamarind broth

• 2 tbsp tamarind paste (or to taste)
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 ½ -2 tbsp sambar powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 dried red chili
• Pinch asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaf
• 1 tbsp oil

Finishing and garnishing

• I tsp rice flour dissolved in a little water
• 1 tbsp coconut cream (optional)
• ¼ – ½ cup coriander leaves
• 1-2 green chillies

Method

Dhal: Rinse the lentils well. Place inside a pressure cooker with the water and turmeric. Pressure cook till the lentils are mushy.

Meanwhile, vegetables like squash, potato, carrot, beans, drumsticks, cauliflower, are cut into bite size pieces and boiled in minimal water that has been lightly salted. Cook till al dente; do not overcook.  If using pearl onions (small shallots) you can add it to this pot. Vegetables like eggplant and okra should be shallow fried. Sliced onions should also be fried at this point.

Tamarind broth: Dissolve the tamarind paste in hot water. Add the sambar powder and stir well. Set aside.

Brining it together: Heat a large stew pot. Add the 1 tbsp oil. When hot add the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop, add the fenugreek, asafoetida, red chilis, and curry leaf.  Taking care, pour in the tamrind broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Now add the mashed lentils and continue simmering for 10 mins. Add the cooked and fried vegetables at this point. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Finishing and Garnishing: Finally add the rice flour-water mixture, coconut cream (if used) to the boiling sambar. After 2 minutes add the green chili and the coriander leaves and turn off the heat. Garnish with extra coriander leaves when serving.

My recipe may differ in that the tempering of mustard seed-curry leaf-etc. comes midway in the cooking. Most Indian recipes add the temper at the end. However, this method has worked well for me and well, as they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.