Sambar (A Tangy and Sweet Vegetable and lentil stew with seasoning)

Sambar  is a regular side dish in all South Indian homes.This is a Tangy and Spicy cooked Dal(lentil) and vegetable stew.It is  eaten with piping hot Idlies (steamed dumplings),Dosa(dal base crapes) and Vada(dal base fried in oil) and rice etc.

Steps for making Sambar:

1. We have to cook dal.(lentil)

2.We have to cook vegetables

3. We have to prepare Sambar masala(Ready to use Sambar Powder we will get in Indian markets or any indian grocery stores) Usually i like to prepare in home.

Ingredients for cooking  dal:

1. Toor dal (pigeon peas)(Kandi pappu,Tuvarm parippu)       1 small cup
2. Water                                                                                21/2 cups                                                                         
3. Pressure cooker

Method of cooking dal:

1. Wash and clean Toor dal.
2. Take this Toordal in cooker vessel and add water in to it.( you can cook dal directly in small cooker also,without using any cooker vessel)close the lid and put valve and cook in medium flame in 15 min.
3. Turn off the flame.And keep it to become cool.
4. After it become cool mash it nicely with laddle keep it aside.

 

Cooked Toor Dal(Pigeon piece)

 Mashed Dal

Ingredients for Sambar masala:

1. Toor dal Pigeon piece     1 cup
2. Whole red chillies            1 cup
3. Cumin seeds                    1 table spoons
4.  Fenugreek                      2 table spoons
5. Corinader seeds              1 cup
6. Coconut pieces                small piece(50g)(cut into small pieces)

            
Method:

1. Heat a wide pan add Toordal,cumin,fenugreek seeds and red chillies fry in a medium flame.While frying stir continuously till the seeds has to change  the color,now add coriander seeds and fry for 2 min.then add coconut pieces and fry for few more min.Turn off flame leave to  cool. 
2.  Now take this fried seeds in a mixer jar or a blender blend well to a smooth powder.
3.  Sambar powdered  masala is ready.   

 Sambar powdered masala

Dry  Sambar masala store it in air tight container,no need to refrigerate.

Ingrdients for preparing vegetables in Sambar:
We can use so many vegetable in Sambar like Drumsticks,Red and white Pumpkin,ladies fingers,yellow cucumbar,Sweet potato,Bottle gourd,Egg-plant,Tomato,Carrots,Small onions.........Here i used

1. Drum sticks                           1
2. Radish                                   1
3. Tomato                                 1
4. Small onions                          5
5. Tamarind                               around 25g.
6. Turmeric                               1 tea spoon
7. Salt                                      1 table spoon(check and more)
8. sugar                                    1 tea spoon
9. Water                                   2 to 3 cups

Method:

1. Clean tamarind soak it in hot water for few min.or take this tamarind in microwave safe bowl add little water cook 30 sec.in microwave safe bowl. Keep this tamarind pulp aside.
2. Clean vegetable and cut into medium pieces.
3. Take these vegetable in wide pan add 1cup of water and close the lid and cook for 10,15 min.in a medium flame,till vegetables to cook.
4. Check if vegetable are cooked then add salt and turmeric and tamarind pulp and cook for 5min.
5. Now add cooked and mashed Toor dal in this cooked vegetables add some water and cook for few min.
6. Then add 2 table  spoons of  Sambar Masala powder and cook in high flame for 2 to 3 min and check if  Sambar consistency is too thick add little amount of  water and cook few min.and turn of the flame.
7. Season it.

For seasoning:

1. Vegetable oil                  1 table spoon
2. Mustard seeds                1 tea spoon
3. Cumin seeds                   1 tea spoon
4. Fenugrrek seeds
5. Red whole chillies            2(break it into half)
6. Asafoteda                       a pinch
7. Curry leaves                   4 to 5
8. Coriander leaves             few

Method for seasoning:

1. Heat oil in a pan add red chilli pieces,mustard seeds,cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds fry for few min.till seeds to become splutter.
2. Then add asafoteda and curry leaves and fry few seconds turn off flame.
3. Immedietly  add this seasoning  into Sambar and close the lid.To retain the flavour of seasoning.
4. Decorate with coriander leaves.
5. Serve with Idly or Dosa or Piping hot steamed rice.

Soaked tamarind

 Vegetables in pan

 Cooked vegetables and lentils mix and added smabar masala 

Seasoning

 add seasoning to sambar

Sambar is ready to eat