Radish Sambar – South Indian Style
Summary
- A traditional South Indian sambar featuring tender radish and a rich, aromatic spice-coconut paste. This hearty and tangy lentil stew is perfect for a comforting meal, often served with rice or breakfast items like idli and dosa.
All Ingredients - For Dal
- Toor dal 1/4 cup
- Water 1 cup
- Turmeric powder 1/4 TSP
All Ingredients - For Tamarind Extract
- Tamarind 2 tbsp
- Warm water 1 cup
All Ingredients - For Sambar Paste
- Chana dal 2 tbsp
- Coriander seeds 2 tbsp
- Red chillies 3
- Black peppercorn 1 TSP
- Freshly grated coconut 1/2 cup
- Water 1/2 cup
All Ingredients - For Sambar
- IDHAYAM MANTRA GROUNDNUT OIL 1 tbsp
- Onion shallots 10-12 small
- Radish (chopped) 1
- Water 1/2 cup
- Salt to taste
- Jaggery 1 TSP
All Ingredients - For Tempering (Tadka)
- IDHAYAM MANTRA GROUNDNUT OIL 2 TSP
- Mustard seeds 1 TSP
- Asafoetida/hing 1/4 TSP
- Curry leaves Few
Tools You'll Need
- Pan
- Pot
- Food processor
- Bowl
Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps
No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Shallot?
- 1 small onion + 1 small garlic clove
- Sweet onion (1:1, milder)
No Jaggery?
- Dark brown sugar (1:1)
- Muscovado sugar (1:1)
No Asafoetida (hing)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder + 1/4 tsp onion powder
No Curry leaves?
- 1 bay leaf + a pinch of lemon zest — Aroma only — flavor is unique.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Dal
Take 1/4 cup of Toor dal in a bowl and clean it thoroughly with water.
Step 2: Cook the Dal
Add 1 cup of water and 1/4 TSP turmeric powder to the cleaned dal. Pressure cook the dal until it becomes soft and mushy.
Step 3: Prepare Tamarind Extract
Soak 2 tbsp of tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for . Mash it nicely with your hands to extract the pulp, then strain it to remove any solids.
Step 4: Roast Sambar Spices
In a pan, add 2 tbsp chana dal, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 3 red chillies, and 1 TSP black peppercorn. Roast these ingredients nicely for until they become aromatic.
Step 5: Add Coconut and Roast
To the roasted spices, add 1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut. Continue to roast until the coconut turns light golden brown.
Step 6: Grind Sambar Paste
Transfer the roasted ingredients to a food processor. Add 1/2 cup of water and grind everything to make a smooth paste.
Step 7: Sauté Aromatics
In a cooking pot, heat 1 tbsp of IDHAYAM MANTRA GROUNDNUT OIL. Add 10-12 small onion shallots and stir-fry until they become translucent.
Step 8: Cook Radish
Add 1 chopped radish (sliced into rounds) to the pot and stir-fry for a minute.
Step 9: Add Tamarind Water
Pour in the strained tamarind water. Let it cook on low flame until the radish becomes soft.
Step 10: Combine with Sambar Paste
Add the freshly ground coconut-spice paste to the pot.
Step 11: Add Cooked Dal
Add the pressure-cooked toor dal to the mixture in the pot.
Step 12: Adjust Consistency and Season
Add 1/2 cup of water and stir well to adjust the consistency of the sambar. Add salt to taste and 1 TSP of jaggery.
Step 13: Simmer Sambar
Mix all ingredients well and cook the sambar for , allowing the flavors to meld together.
Step 14: Prepare Tempering (Tadka)
In a small pan, heat 2 TSP of IDHAYAM MANTRA GROUNDNUT OIL. Add 1 TSP mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add 1/4 TSP asafoetida/hing and a few curry leaves.
Step 15: Finish and Serve
Pour the prepared (tadka) over the hot sambar. Serve hot and enjoy your Radish Sambar.
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