Simple drumstick sambar made with dal, vegetable drumsticks or murungakkai, sambhar powder & spices. This Andhra style stew is so delicious, flavorful & easy to make when you have some surplus drumsticks in hand. For best results use a good aromatic sambar powder. Serve this with plain steamed rice or any south Indian breakfasts like idli, pongal & vada.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 7 · 7 cups
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Andhra

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Toor dal (or split skinned pigeon peas)
  • 2 tablespoons moong dal (or skinned split mung lentils (optional))
  • 1½ cups water (to cook dal (use as needed))
  • 3 vegetable drumsticks ((cut to finger length))
  • 10 shallots (or 3 medium onions)
  • 1 tomato (large chopped)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies
  • ½ tablespoons ginger garlic paste ((or 1 teaspoon each grated ginger and garlic))
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1½to 2 tablespoons sambar powder
  • tamarind (Small lemon sized ball)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut (Fresh grated)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or use as needed)
  • 1 Handful Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
  • 2 to 3 cups water ((adjust as needed))
  • 1 red chili ((broken))
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon cumin (or jeera)
  • ¼ teaspoon methi seeds (or fenugreek seeds)
  • 1 clove garlic (crushed slightly)
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 2 Pinches asafoetida (or hing)

Method

Preparation

  1. Add dal to a pressure cooker or bowl. Wash it well a few times and pressure cook with 1½ to 2 cups water. If cooking directly cook for 2 whistles. If following the pot-in-pot method cook for 3 whistles on a medium flame.
  2. When the pressure releases naturally, remove the cooked dal and mash it well. It has to be smooth without any grainy texture.
  3. Pour 2 to 3 cups of water in a pot and add all the chopped drumsticks, onion & tomatoes. Cook them until the drumsticks are half done. You can add more or less water to adjust the consistency.
  4. While the veggies cook, take half a cup of hot water to a bowl. Soak tamarind in it. When it cools down squeeze well, and set aside.

Make drumstick sambar

  1. When the drumsticks are half cooked, add salt, turmeric, red chili powder, sambar powder and ginger garlic paste. Continue to cook till the drumsticks are fully done & tender.
  2. Next add coconut and tamarind water. Mash the dal to smooth and pour to the sambar. Mix well and taste test to adjust salt and tamarind. Bring to a gentle boil and turn off. Add coriander leaves.

Temper

  1. Add ghee to a small pan and heat it. Add mustard, cumin and methi. When they splutter, add red chilli curry leaves and garlic. Add hing.
  2. Pour this tempering over the drumstick sambar. Turn off the stove. If you plan to refrigerate, do it immediately once it cools down. Serve drumstick sambar with rice, papad or idli dosa.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.