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Vegetable Sambar

Santosh Allada
Vegetable Sambar is a South Indian stew made with lentils/split yellow pigeon peas, vegetables, tamarind, herbs, spices, and a special spice powder called sambar powder. Usually served with idly, dosa, uttapam, pongal, or steamed rice.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Andhra, Indian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the Tamarind pulp

  • lemon size Tamarind you can increase or decrease it as per your taste
  • 1/4 cup Hot water

For the Dal

  • 1/2 cup yellow pigeon peas lentils toor dal
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp oil or ghee
  • 2 cups water

For the Vegetables

  • 1 medium Onion cut in 4
  • 2 medium Tomatoes roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup Carrot sliced or roughly chopped
  • 1-2 Drumsticks cut in 2-3 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup Bottle gourd/Lauki peel the skin and cut into cubes.
  • 2-4 Okra/Bhendi cut both the ends and cut into 1-2 inch pieces.
  • 1/2 Cucumber/ Dosakaya peel the skin and cut into cubes.
  • 1 medium Radish peel the skin and cut into thick slices

Tempering

  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1/4 tspn Fenugreek seeds
  • 2-4 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tspn Mustard seeds
  • 1 tspn Cumin seeds
  • 2-3 Dried red chilies
  • 10-12 Curry leaves
  • 1/4 tspn Hing Asafoetida

Other Ingredients

  • 1 tbspn Ghee
  • 2 tbsp Sambar powder
  • 1 tsp Red chilly powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves

Instructions
 

For cooking the dal

  • Wash the dal well. Add it to a pressure cooker, along with water, turmeric powder, and oil. Close the lid.
  • Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or until done. Turn off the heat and let the steam release naturally.
  • Mash with a masher or wire whisk or back of a laddle till smooth. If it's thick, add water and mix. Keep it aside.

To make Vegetable Sambar

  • Soak tamarind in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze well and strain the liquid.
  • In a pot or kadai, heat oil over medium flame. When hot, add crushed garlic.
  • Next, add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Take care, not to burn seeds.
  • Add dried red chilies and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds until leaves turn crisp. Next, add hing/asafoetida and give a good mix.
  • Add onions and all the vegetables of your choice. On medium-high heat, saute for a minute.
  • Next, add chopped tomatoes and saute for 1-2 minutes or until they turn soft.
  • Turn the flame to low and add red chili powder, sambar masala, and salt. Saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add the squeezed tamarind water and 1 cup of water. Give a good mix, turn the flame to high and let the water come to a boil.
  • Add boiled dal and mix well. Turn the flame to low and simmer for good 10-20 minutes or until the veggies are cooked but not mushy. Add extra water, if needed depending on the consistency you prefer.
  • When it’s almost done, add coriander powder and a few curry leaves. This will add extra flavor to the sambar. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add a small piece of jaggery and pure ghee. Give a good mix.
  • Lastly add a shower of coriander leaves and switch off the heat.
  • South Indian Vegetable Sambar is ready to relish. Serve it hot with steamed rice, or idly or vada with a generous dollop of ghee.

Notes

Add Vegetables of your choice.
You can use only toor dal or mix moong dal and chana dal too.
Increase or decrease tamarind, depending on the tanginess you prefer.
Modify the quantity of Sambar powder as per your taste.