Preparing A Sambar

The sambar is a traditional lentil vegetable stew with tamarind. It is often served with the fluffy savoury rice and lentil pancakes called idlis, or fritters (vadas) and just plain rice. In southern India, they have it to accompany dhosas for a typical breakfast.

Sambar is also known as sambhar or sambaar, and pronounced saambaar. It originated from Southern India and Tamil cuisine in Sri Lanka. A two-course meal of sambar mixed with rice and eaten with a vegetable side dish, followed by yogurt mixed with rice, is a typical southern Indian staple.

A typical recipe is the following:-

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons Sambar Masala
• 2 cups Toor or Tuvar (split yellow pigeon peas)
• 1 cup chopped potato, cut into 1″cubes.
• 1 cup chopped eggplant, cut into 2″cubes.
• 10 pearl onions, peeled and cored
• 10 to 12 baby or small okra
• 1/2 cup of diced or sliced pumpkin
• 10 to 12, 3″ long pieces of drumstick [Moringa] (optional)
• Small ball-sized lumps of tamarind
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 3 dry red chillies
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh coriander leaves to taste

Preparation

1. Boil the lentils and Sambar Masala with enough water till they are soft. The consistency should be that of a thick soup.
2. Soak the tamarind in a small bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze well to remove all juice.
3. Add this purée to the lentils. Mix well. Add salt to taste.
4. Simmer and add the potatoes to the lentils. Cook until the potatoes are half cooked. Now add the other vegetables and cook until done.
5. Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the dry red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Fry until the spluttering stops and add to the boiled lentils. Mix well.
6. Garnish with chopped green coriander for flavor.
7. Serve hot with vadas, idlis or plain boiled rice.