Sambar is a lentil based vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind. It’s one of the very popular dishes of South Indian cuisine.
The word sambar ( old Tamil :Champaar – சாம்பார்) is from Tamil word Champaaram(சம்பாரம்) meaning spicy condiments. chambaramKootu(சம்பாரங்கூட்டு) and chambaramPodi(சம்பாரப்பொடி) means curry powder.
Sambar is made either exclusively with one of these vegetables or a combination of them – onion, drumsticks, pumpkin, radish, carrot, lady’s finger, brinjal, shallots, tomatoes etc.
Sambar powder is a coarse powder made of roasted lentils ( tuvar and chana dal) dried whole red chilies, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida, pepper, whole turmeric and curry leaves with regional variations including cumin, grated coconut, cinnamon, or other spices. The vegetables, tamarind pulp, sambar powder, salt, are boiled together, until the vegetables are half-cooked. After the vegetables are half cooked, the cooked lentils are added and allowed to cook until the vegetables are done. Sambar is garnished with fresh curry leaves or coriander leaves. Mustard, fenugreek, dried red chillies,asafoetida, curry leaves are tempered in vegetable oil and added to the cooked sambar.
This is the basic recipe of making sambar. But trust me when I say that sambar does taste different in every house.
My family is very fond of sambar. And this radish sambar is my most favourite one:)
Ingredients
Tamarind- medium lemon size
Tuvar dal – 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/4th tsp
Sambar powder- 3 tbsps
Sliced radish – 2 cups
Grated jaggery – 2 tsps
Grated coconut- 1 tbsp
For tempering
Sesame oil ( or refined oil) – 2 tsps
Mustard – 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds( methi/ vendhayam) – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – few
Asafoetida ( hing/ Perungayam) – 2 pinches
Method
Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water for 30 mins.
Squeeze well and take the extract.
Wash and soak tuvar dal for half an hour.
Drain the water from the dal. Add fresh water and turmeric powder.
Pressure cook the dal for 3-4 whistles. Dal should be very soft and mushy.
In a pan, add tamarind extract, sliced radish, sambar powder, salt to taste and jaggery. Boil it well till the radish is well cooked.
Mash the cooked tuvar dal well and add to the tamarind mixture. Add 2 – 3 cups of water and grated coconut. Mix well. Add more water if required to get the sambar consistency.
Let the sambar simmer till it starts boiling.
Take it off the gas and give a good mix once more.
Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and hing. Sauté for few seconds. Add the tempering to the sambar.
Serve the sambar hot with rice / idli / dosa:)
