SAMBAR

Sambar is a flavorful spicy South Indian lentil soup made with a variety of vegetables. It fits nicely with many South Indian meals, including dosas (pancakes), idlis (savory cakes), and rice.

One of the stories is that Sambar is originated in the kitchen of Thanjavur Marathas ruler Shahuji during the 17th century from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shahuji, trying to make a dish called amti, experimented with pigeon peas instead of mung beans and tamarind pulp for kokum. The court named it sambhar after the guest of the day, Sambhaji, second emperor of the Maratha Empire.

There is also an alternate explanation that the origin of the name is from the old Tamil word chaampu, meaning “ground” or “paste”, in the context of grinding coconut and spices to be dissolved in tamarind pulp. This word is also the root for the unrelated South East Asian dish Sambol. 

INGREDIENTS:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Vegetables - [cucumber, pumpkin, carrot,  pearl onion, potato, tomato, chembu, chakka kuru, drumstick] or as your preference
Green chili - 2
Curry leaves
Salt
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Asafeotida - pinch
Tamarind - small lemon sized

For Masala:
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tbsp
Toor dal - 1/2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chili - 4 to 5
Curry leaves
Asafoetida - a small piece
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

For seasoning:
Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp 
Red chili - 1
Asafetida - pinch
Curry leaves

METHOD:

1. Cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker, mash it and keep aside.

2. Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a pan and saute all the dry ingredients(for masala) except grated coconut until light brown/ nice aroma comes.

3. Grind it to a fine paste using grated coconut.

4. In heavy bottom vessel, add the vegetables, cooked dal, green chili, curry leaves, salt, turmeric powder and masala paste.

5. Cover and cook it until the vegetables get half cooked.

6. Add tamarind extract, jaggery, and hing.

7. Cook it for another 5 to 8 mins. Switch off the flame.

8. In another pan heat oil and add all the seasoning ingredients. Let it simmer till they begin to crackle.

9. Then mix these seasoning ingredients and some coriander leaves in the sambar and serve hot.