Vegetable Sambar Recipe - South Indian Style

Step 1: Prepare Toor Dal

Take 1 cup of Toor Dal in a pressure cooker. Add water and rinse well. Strain the water. Add 2 cups of fresh water and 1/4 tsp of turmeric. Soak the dal for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Pressure Cook Dal

After soaking, close the pressure cooker with a lid and pressure cook the dal for 5 whistles until it is soft and well-cooked.

Step 3: Sauté Vegetables (Initial)

In a separate pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add 4 chopped lady fingers (okra), 1 chopped carrot, 1 cup chopped bottle gourd, 2 chopped drum sticks, 1 sliced big onion, 4 green chillies, and 4 chopped brinjals. Mix all the vegetables well. Add 1 1/2 tsp of salt and mix again. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Add Tamarind and Water

After 5 minutes, remove the lid. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and mix well. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Mix everything thoroughly and let it boil.

Step 5: Combine Dal and Spices

Once the mixture starts boiling, add the 1 cup of cooked Toor Dal to the pot. Mix well. Add 3 tsp of red chilli powder, 2-3 tbsp of sambar powder, and salt as per your taste. Mix all the spices into the sambar. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Final Adjustments and Garnish

After 10 minutes of cooking, the sambar should be well cooked. Add 1 tablespoon of jaggery and mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and mix gently.

Step 7: Prepare Tempering

In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and 2 tsp of ghee. Add 4 pods of garlic, a pinch of hing, 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, and 3 broken red chillies. Fry until the garlic turns golden and the spices splutter. Add a few curry leaves and fry for a few more seconds.

Step 8: Add Tempering to Sambar

Pour the prepared tempering over the hot sambar. Mix well to combine the flavors. The sambar is now ready to serve.

• Ensure vegetables are cooked but still have a slight bite for texture.

• Adjust spice levels (red chilli powder, green chillies) according to your preference.

• For a vegan version, substitute ghee with oil in the tempering.

• Experiment with different vegetable combinations like pumpkin, potato, or cluster beans.

• Add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) to the tempering for an enhanced flavor and digestive benefits.