Sambar I
Difficulty 3/5 Ingredients 13 Steps 5
Sambar or sambhar (Kannada: ಸಾಂಬಾರ್, Malayalam: സാമ്പാർ, Tamil சாம்பார் (சாம்பாறு in Sri Lanka), Telugu: సాంబారు), pronounced "saambaar", is a dish common in southern India and Sri Lanka, made of dal (usually red gram, also called toor dal) and vegetables in a spicy tamarind and dal flour soup base. Sambar is usually poured over or alongside steamed rice. In the south of India, vada sambar and idli sambar are…
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) toor dal
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp sambhar masala (see note)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) cubed mixed vegetables (see notes)
- 1 big onion, cut into quarters
- 3 tbsp thickish tamarind pulp OR 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 2–3 whole dry red chile peppers
- 7–8 leaves of curry leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, to garnish
Steps
- Wash the dal. Cook in the water with the salt until absolutely tender and soft, with no grains remaining.
- Add the sambhar masala, sugar and vegetables, including the onions. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Then add the tamarind.
- Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the whole red peppers and curry leaves.
- Stir 2–3 times. Add the dal mixture. Bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with the coriander leaves.
Notes from the original
- A variety of ingredients can be used for the mixed vegetables, including tomato, potato, brinjal (eggplant, aubergine, kath tharik kaai), drumsticks (moringa pods), lady's fingers (okra), and/or onions.
- Sambar masala can be made by lightly toasting then grinding together the following spices: 5 tbsp coriander seeds, 3 tbsp split dried channa dal, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 20 strands of chilli, 3 tbsp dried coconut, 20 curry leaves, ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds, and 1 tbsp asafoetida powder. It can be stored for 1 month.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Sambar I” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2026-02-03, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.