This simple sambar recipe uses basic Indian pantry staples and yields a very flavorful sambar which is perfect to go with your favorite idlis and dosa!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 46 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

To Pressure Cook the Dal

  • 1 cup toor dal/arhar dal (pigeon peas lentil)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups water ([adjustable] 24 oz [/adjustable])

Tamarind Juice

  • 1 tablespoon tamarind piece
  • ⅓ cup hot water

For Cooking The Vegetable

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • ½ cup chopped eggplant
  • 2 medium carrots (diced)
  • 7-8 drumsticks (I used frozen ones that I got from Indian store)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 medium tomato (chopped)
  • 3 cups water ([adjustable] 24 oz [/adjustable])
  • 2 tablespoons sambar powder (homemade or store bought, adjust to taste)
  • 2-3 teaspoons powdered jaggery
  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (optional)

Tadka/Tempering

  • 1 tablespoon ghee (or use oil)
  • ¾ teaspoon mustard seeds (black)
  • ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
  • 10-15 curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped, to garnish)

Method

  1. Wash 1 cup of toor dal and then add it to a stove-top pressure cooker along with ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups of water. Cook for 5 whistles on a medium-high flame, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and mash the cooked dal lightly with a potato masher. Set aside. If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook for 9 minutes on high pressure and let the pressure release naturally.
  2. Soak a small tamarind piece (around 1 tablespoon) in 1/3 cup of hot water for around 20 minutes. Then strain the water after 20 minutes using a strainer. You will get 3 to 4 tablespoons of tamarind pulp. Set this aside.
  3. In a pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add ½ cup chopped eggplant cubes and cook for around 2 minutes.
  4. Add 2 medium carrots (diced), 7 to 8 frozen drumsticks (it’s a vegetable, do not confuse with chicken drumsticks) and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 2 more minutes. Then add 1 medium chopped tomato and cook for 1 more minute.
  5. Add around 3 cups of (24 oz) water and stir and then add 2 tablespoons of sambar powder. You can add more to taste.
  6. Then add 2 to 3 teaspoons of jaggery powder (adjust to taste) along with 4 tablespoons of the tamarind pulp that you had extracted earlier
  7. Now, stir in the cooked dal. You can also add ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder at this point (if using). Mix everything together with a spatula and let the sambar simmer on medium heat for 5 to 6minutes.
  8. To make the tadka, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee (or oil if you want to keep this vegan), in a small pan on medium heat. Once the ghee is hot, add ¾ teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them pop.
  9. Then add ¼ teaspoon of hing and 10 to 15 curry leaves. Stir for a few seconds until leaves turn crisp. Pour the tadka over the simmering sambar. Mix well and garnish with 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro.

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.