Thoroughly wash the toor dal. Cook it in a pot with water and turmeric until it's very soft and mashed. Use a pressure cooker for faster cooking (about 10-15 minutes).
Sambar (Spicy Lentil and Vegetable Stew)
- Total time - 45 minutes
- Preparation - 15 minutes
- Cooking time - 30 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Country: India
Sambar is all about the balance of flavors: spicy, sour, sweet, and salty. For this balance, tamarind is essential, providing a specific sourness. You can use any combination of vegetables, such as pumpkin, carrots, eggplant, or onion.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
- 3 cups water
- 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (e.g., onion, carrots, pumpkin, green beans), chopped
- 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp or paste, dissolved in 1/4 cup of warm water
- 2 tablespoons sambar powder
- salt
For the Tempering (Tadka)
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 0.25 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
- 2 pieces dry red chilies
- 0.25 teaspoon asafoetida (hing), powder
- 10 pieces curry leaves
Instructions
Step 1: Cooking the lentils
Step 2: Cooking the vegetables
In a separate pot, cook the chopped vegetables in a small amount of water with a little salt until they are tender.
Step 3: Combining flavors
Add the mashed lentils to the cooked vegetables. Add sambar powder, tamarind water, and salt. Stir well and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes to allow all the flavors to combine.
Step 4: Preparing the tempering (Tadka)
In a small pan, heat the oil or ghee. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté briefly (about 15-20 seconds).
Step 5: Serving
Immediately pour the hot tempering mixture into the pot with the simmering sambar. Stir gently and serve hot. Sambar tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen.