Cooking sambar is often considered an elaborate affair. However, if you are a novice cook who loves sambar and wants to make a comparatively quick, aromatic version of the curry, there are recipes that can help you do that too. Thanks to its abundant lentil and vegetable content, this preparation is also loved by the health-conscious lot. Here's the recipe for a yummy sambar that can be paired with rice, idli, dosa and more.
Ingredients
One cup of sambar dal (lentil)
½ cup of chopped cucumber
½ cup of chopped snake gourd
½ cup of chopped brinjal
½ cup of chopped melon
½ cup of chopped potato
½ cup of chopped beans
½ cup of peeled small onion
½ cup of chopped drumstick
½ cup of chopped tomato (large in size)
Tamarind (the size of a gooseberry)
1 ¼ tablespoon of coriander powder
1 ¼ tablespoon of Kashmiri chilli
One pinch of turmeric powder
½ teaspoon of asafoetida powder
One pinch of fenugreek powder
½ teaspoon of cumin seeds powder
½ teaspoon of pepper powder
Two tablespoons of coconut oil
One teaspoon of mustard seeds
Three dried chilli
Five small onions
Two benches of curry leaves
Water (as required)
Salt (as required)
¼ cup of coriander leaves
Preparation
Wash the lentils and put them into a pressure cooker
Wash the vegetables properly
Chop the drumsticks into two-inch-long pieces and the other vegetables into medium-sized chunks
Slice the onion into thin pieces and the green chillies into long pieces.
Put the lentils and vegetables into the cooker and add turmeric powder and salt as required, besides water (water should cover the vegetable mix)
Cook for a few minutes and switch off the flame after a whistle.
Soak the tamarind in half a cup of water for five minutes extract the juice and keep it aside
Once the steam is fully released, open the vessel and take half a glass of water from it
Mix coriander powder (1 1/4 tablespoon), Kashmiri chilli powder (1 1/4 tablespoon), turmeric powder (a pinch), cumin seeds powder (1/2 teaspoon) and tamarind pulp with it and stir for some time
Place the mix into the cooker and heat for a couple of minutes
Check for salt and add if required
Add the finely chopped coriander leaves and put off the flame.
Heat some oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds when the oil gets hot
Once the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add a small onion, dried chillies, and curry leaves to it and fry for some time, before adding it to the curry
The flavourful, tasty sambar is ready to be served hot
