Sambar

This is a very popular vegetarian South Indian curry with a good mixture of a variety of vegetable. It makes a superb combination with south Indian dishes like dosa, idli, paniyaram, vada , rice  etc. There are a lot of variations in preparing this curry. Here, I share my version of sambar which I learned from my mother-in-law.

Preparation time : 1 hour

Ingredients:

1. Vegetables – potato ,carrot, lady finger, drumstick, beans etc
2. Toor dal – 1/8 a Cup
3. Onion – 1 , garlic- 3 cloves, small cut ginger- 1/2 teaspoon
4. Tomato – 1
5.  1-2 tablespoon of sambar powder
6. Tamarind water – 5-6 tablespoon
7.  Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
8. salt – to taste
9. oil – 2 tablespoon
10. Mustard seeds – 2 teaspoon
11. jeera – 1 teaspoon
12. hing –  a pinch (optional)
13. curry leaves – a handful
14. coriander leaves –  to garnish

METHOD

• Wash and transfer dal to a pressure. cook for 2 whistles. Switch off
• Let the pressure settle. Open the cooker , transfer the veggies ( except lady finger and drumstick) with turmeric and salt.
• In a pot , heat oil, sputter mustard seeds, jeera . Add finely chopped garlic, ginger. Add in curry leaves.
• Add finely sliced onions, tomatoes and saute . Add remaining veggies and salt. Add little water.Boil until the veggies are cooked.
• Now add the previously cooked dal+ veggies mixture.
•  Add tamarind water, sambar powder. Adjust salt.

Finish it off with coriander leaves .

(I add little ketchup and a teaspoon of sugar. I like the resulting taste)

It makes excellent combination with rice , Paniyaram , Ragi Idli , Dosas  , vada etc

Check out these veg recipes –

• Vellery curry
• Udupi style sambar
• Dal palak
• Baingan Masala

and many more !!!