Sambar is a South Indian Lentil and vegetable curry. Sambar is usually made with Red lentils and the addition of a single vegetable or a combination of vegetables.
Radish Sambar ( South Indian Lentil Curry)
Course: MainCuisine: South IndianDifficulty: Medium10-12
servings1
hourSambar is a South Indian Lentil and vegetable curry. Sambar is usually made with Red lentils and the addition of a single vegetable or a combination of vegetables like okra, Eggplant, Drumstick, Radish, Tomato along with tamarind pulp to give the tangy taste to the lentil curry. There are so many versions of Sambar prepared in each household of South India. I am presenting my version of Sambar to you all. This is a vegan and gluten free dish and can be served with steamed rice or as a side dish for breakfast / tiffin items like Idli, Dosa, Waffle Uthappam, Wada.
Ingredients
Toor Dhal (Red gram dhal) – 1¼ cup
Tamarind Pulp – ¼ cup
Radish sliced – 2 cups
Onions chopped – 1 cup
Tomato diced – ½ cup
Garlic Cloves – 4 to 5
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 2 tsps.
Red chili whole – 2 to 3
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Sambar powder – 4 tbsps.
Oil – 2 tbsps.
Salt – to taste
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Asafetida – ¼ tsp
Directions
- Rinse and soak dhal for about ½ hour and drain the water. Rinsing lentils removes any impurities in the lentils.
- Cook until soft in a pressure cooker for about 5-6 whistles or in a regular cooking pot and mash well.
- Take a cooking pot and add oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and red chilies.
- Then add chopped onions. Fry until golden brown. Add diced tomatoes and sliced radish. Sauté for a about five minutes.
- Add sambar powder, (one could use a store bought or homemade sambar powder). Sauté for a couple of minutes.
You could see the recipe for homemade sambar powder in one of my blogs soon. - Now add tamarind pulp along with 2 cups of water.
- Cook until the radish is soft in texture for about 20 mins.
- Now add the mashed dhal, salt, and asafetida.
- Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with curry leaves and serve on a hot plain rice, or as an accompaniment with Waffle Uthappam, Idli or Dosa.
Notes
- Rinsing the lentils removes any impurities like dust or dirt. Also soaking helps to remove the phytate content in the lentils. These phytates bind with certain minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium and form insoluble complexes. Thus, interfere with the digestion process and make it unavailable during absorption.
