How to Cook Sambar

Serves: 2-3

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients needed to make sambar:

• 1/3 cup yellow pigeon peas
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ½ carrot, diced
• 1 small potato, diced
• 3-4 snow peas
• 2 cauliflower florets
• 3-4 french beans
• 1 whole tamarind
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp rock salt
• 2 tsp sambar powder (recipe below)

For the sambar powder:

• 9 oz yellow pigeon peas
• 2 oz split yellow gram
• 2 oz black lentil
• 9 oz whole black peppercorns
• 3.5 oz cumin seeds
• 2 oz fenugreek seeds
• 10 oz red chillies
• 3.5 oz turmeric powder

For the seasoning:

• 4-5 curry leaves
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• Large pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp mustards seeds
• 1 red chilli, dried

Cooking instructions for sambar:

• To make the sambar powder, dry all its ingredients in the sun for a couple of days and transfer them to a spice grinder.
• Pulse them into a fine powder and seal them in an air-tight container until required.
• To make the tamarind paste, pour hot water over the tamarind and squeeze out the pulp to make 1 ½ cups of puree; throw away the pulp.
• Pour hot water over the yellow pigeon peas and soak them for about half an hour.
• Transfer it to a pressure cooker, along with the water and fasten the lid to cook over high pressure until the whistles set off thrice.
• Release the pressure gently and open the lid to drain the lentil through a strainer and set aside.
• Blanch the mixed veggies, except onions, in hot water; drain and keep it aside.
• Drizzle oil in a wok to heat and throw in the mustard seeds.
• Stir-fry the seeds until they start popping and add the red chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida as well as the onions.
• Saute the mixture for a couple of minutes, stirring often and pour in the tamarind puree.
• Sprinkle the sambar and turmeric powder over the mixture, along with a dash of salt and bring the mixture to boil.
• Continue to do so for about 10  minutes or until the raw smell of the sambar powder and tamarind disappears.
• Stir in the cooked vegetables and continue to simmer the mixture over medium heat until the veggies are cooked to some extent.
• Mash the cooked lentils with a masher and stir it into the simmering mixture, along with ½ cup of water.
• Break any lumps of lentil with the spoon and stir the sambar well together to mix.
• Simmer the sambar for a while and bring it to a boil.
• Cook until it thickens and pour it into serving bowls.
• Top it up with cilantro leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons