Kerala Sambar/ Sambhar recipe

Although Sambar is a very well known and delectable curry of south India but it is also very popular and desired lentil based curry in other parts of India.  Lentils cooked with lots of vegetables like onion, tomato, white pumpkin, green beans, drumstick, carrot and potatoes and then flavored with special Indian spices and tamarind. There are so many varieties for Sambar recipe like Udupi Sambar, madras style Sambar, onion Sambar but here I am making Kerala Sambar which is my favorite.

Sambar is truly a south Indian gem both in terms of taste and health. There are many different ways to make sambar and every family have their own special sambar recipe. Basically sambar can be made with or without coconut. This version of sambar recipe is from Kerala and is without coconut. The sweetness from carrot, the sourness from tamarind, the bitterness from fenugreek, and the spiciness from red chilly gives the sambar very distinctive flavor and aroma. 
Sambar is one of the most versatile curries which goes really well with Idli, Dosas, Vada and rice. I have mentioned a quick alternative for Sambar powder below the recipe, which comes in handy especially when you are out of sambar masala.

Check out other sambar recipes too :-

• Onion sambar / ulli sambar
• Udupi sambar / Hotel sambar

Kerala Sambar recipe / Sambhar recipe

Recipe by Neha NairCourse: MainCuisine: Indian, KeralaDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

This Sambhar / Sambar recipe is from the state of Kerala, a perfect stew made from yellow lentils (Tuvar dal) and vegetables together with a perfect blend of Indian spices.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of toor dal / tuvar dal

• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced

• 2 medium onion, quartered

• 2 medium tomatoes, quartered

• 6-7 green beans or gawar phali

• 1 big potato, peeled and cubed

• 2 medium drumstick, cut into 3-inch pieces

• 3/4 cup of peeled and cubed bottle guard / white pumpkin

• Tamarind (golf ball size)

• 1 Tbsp of cilantro

• 1 Tbsp of sambar powder

• 1/2 tsp of turmeric

• 1/8 tsp of asafoetida

• For seasonings :-

• 1 tsp of mustard seeds

• 6-8 fenugreek seeds

• 1 sprig of curry leaves

• 2 dry red chilies

• 2 Tbsp of chopped onion

Directions

• Cook the dal with turmeric in a pressure cooker with enough water until the dal is fully cooked and mushy.
• Soak the tamarind in a 1/2 cup of warm water for 30 mins. Then squeeze the juice out of it in a bowl and save it for later. Discard pulp or seeds, if any.
• Add all the vegetables to the cooked dal and let it cook until the all the vegetables are tender and cooked.
• When the vegetables are almost done (90% done), mix in the tamarind water, followed by sambar powder, asafoetida and mix well. Let it cook for another 5-10 minutes over medium heat until all the vegetables are nicely cooked. Switch off the heat.
• Now in another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds. Then add curry leaves, dry red chilies and onion. Stir until the onion is nicely golden brown and then add this to the cooked dal and veggie mixture. Stir in the cilantro.
• Kerala sambar is done and ready to serve.

Notes

• Serve Kerala sambar with Idli or Dosa or just plain rice .
• Some people cook lentils and vegetables together to make the process of sambar easy and quick. This way of cooking sambar can mash up the vegetables, which is fine if you like. Make your own sambar powder by mixing 3 tsp of coriander powder, 1 Tbsp of Kashmiri red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp of cumin powder, 1/4 tsp of asafoetida, 2 pinch of fenugreek powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of black pepper powder. This is a really good replacement for sambar powder.