Sambar is undoubtedly one of the most important dishes in South Indian Food. It goes very well with Rice, Idli, Dosa, Vada etc. There are many recipes to make a Sambar in South Indian Style. Even in South India there are lot of variants in each state. I am introducing a recipe that is popular in Malabar, Kerala.
INGREDIENTS FOR SAMBAR : COOKING
- Potato - 3
- Onion – 1
- Carrot - 1
- Tomato – 1
- Coccinia - 4
(All the above vegetables are generally cut in 1.5 to 2 cm square or rectangle pieces)
- Drum Stick – 2 (This needs to be cut in 6 cm long piece).
(You can also add other Vegetables as per availability and requirement. I do not suggest adding Radish or Beat Root as it will change the taste and texture of Sambar)
- Garlic - 6 Cloves
- Green Chilly -2
- Curry Leaves – 1 or 2 strings, this is one of the most prominent addition in all Kerala Dishes
- Salt - 1 Tea Spoon or as per taste
- Turmeric Powder -1/2 Tea spoon
- Tamarind – small piece
- Pigeon Pea (Tur Dal) – 50 gm
Ingredients Required For seasoning
- Shallot - 4 (If it is not available, you can use a small onion cut into small pieces)
- Sambar Powder – 4 Tea spoon
- Red chilly -4
- Asafoetida – A pinch
- Mustard -1/4 Tea spoon
- Cumin Seeds -1/2 Tea spoon
- Fenugreek powder – A pinch (optional)
- Oil for seasoning.
- Coriander leaves (Cilantro).
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Wash the Tamarind and soak in luke warm water.
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Soak Pigeon Pea (Tur Dal) for half an hour. Wash it and along with equal amount of water cook in a cooker for one whistle. Let the pressure be released on its own.
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Add all the vegetables to another cooker and add water just up to the level of vegetables added to the cooker. Add Green chilly (Cut into 2 pieces), Garlic (Pound slightly), Curry Leaves, Salt and Turmeric. Cook it on medium flame till one whistle.
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When the pressure is released, add the Pigeon Pea (Tur Dal) and the extract of Tamarind to the vegetables and allow it to boil.
Seasoning
- Cut the shallot/Onion kept for seasoning into small pieces. For Seasoning, take a pan (Kadai), add 1.5 Table Spoon of Oil (Vegetable/Sunflower/Coconut Oil). Mustard oil not suggested. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds are crackled, add Red Chilly and Shallots. Saute for some time and then add Cumin Seeds, Asafoetida, Fenugreek Powder, and Sambar Powder (in that sequence, of course). Keep the flame on low, then pour all other ingredients to this pan and allow to boil. Switch off the flame and garnish with Cilantro (Coriander leaves). Your Perfect Sambar is ready.
