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Sambar Recipe | How to make Sambar

Sambar is a traditional and popular South Indian lentils curry to relish with rice, idli, dosa, pongal and upma etc. Sambar is made by cooking vegetables along with dal, sambar powder, tamarind extract, spices and herbs. Learn to make Sambar with step by step pictures.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings3 people
AuthorSharmilee J

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 15 small onion
  • 1 big tomato chopped
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
  • 2 and ½ tbsp sambar powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1 and ½ tablespoon coriander leaves finely chopped
  • 1 big carrot
  • 2 drumstick

For cooking dal

  • 1 cup toor dal
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3 cups water
  • few drops oil
  • salt to taste

For tempering

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon urad dal
  • 2 dry red chili
  • ¼ teaspoon hing
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • salt to taste

For tamarind extract

  • 1 small lemon sized tamarind
  • ¾ cup water

Instructions

  • To a bowl add 1 small lemon sized tamarind, add ¾ cup water. Crush well and set aside.
  • To a pressure cooker add 1 cup toor dal along with salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • Add 3 cups water along with few drops oil.
  • Close lid, put on weight. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until dal turns mushy.
  • Let pressure release by itself. Mash it well with a ladle and set aside.
  • To a sauce pot - heat 1 tablespoon oil, add ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds.
  • Add around 15 small onion, 1 big tomato roughly chopped.
  • Saute until tomatoes turn mushy and raw smell leaves.
  • Add 1 carrot, 2 drumstick roughly chopped.
  • Saute for 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder, 2 and ½ tablespoon sambar powder, salt to taste.
  • Give a quick saute.
  • Add around 1 and ½ cups water. Let it start to boil.
  • Cook covered for 10-12 minutes for the vegetables to get cooked.
  • Check if vegetables are cooked.
  • Add cooked dal along with ½ cup rinsed water.
  • Strain and add tamarind extract.
  • Boil well for 12-15 minutes or until thick.
  • Now sambar has become thick, it will further thicken while cooling down so this is perfect.
  • To a tadka pan - heat 1 tablespoon oil, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter. Now add ½ teaspoon urad dal, ¼ teaspoon hing, few curry leaves and 2 red chilies. Let it splutter. Switch off and remove from flame.
  • Add tadka to boiling sambar along with 1 and ½ tablespoon coriander leaves. Give a quick mix and switch off.

Video

Notes

  • If you are using thick tamarind pulp then add just ¼ cup.
  • Always add tamarind extract only after the veggie gets cooked.
  • Tempering at the last stage retains the flavor of the tempering for a long time.
  • Boil well till the raw smell of drumstick as well as toor dal leaves.
  • Switch off a bit runny as it thickens with time.
  • I use homemade sambar powder which we grind in bulk.
Nutrition Facts
Sambar Recipe | How to make Sambar
Amount Per Serving (75 g)
Calories 396 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.04g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 49mg16%
Sodium 1400mg61%
Potassium 613mg18%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 14g58%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 1069IU21%
Vitamin C 79mg96%
Calcium 91mg9%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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