Sambhar

Sambhar is a very popular dish made regularly in South Indian houses. It is very healthy and nutritious. It is protein rich and packed with the goodness of assorted veggies such as bottle gourd, drumstick, pumpkin, brinjal, potato, okra or beans. It can be made by using all the veggies or in a combination of one or two.  It is served along with idli, dosa, uttapam, upma, wada, paniyaram or rice. It can be enjoyed in breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I am sharing with you the step by step video of the sambhar I cook at my home.

It is very easy, quick and delicious. I pressure cook the veggies(bottle gourd & tomato) along with tuvar dal and then blend them smooth.  This way the veggies are hidden and my son can relish it without any fuss.

I make it with idli or dosa and is loved by all.   My son enjoys singing “garam garam sambhar main doobe idli”(idli sunk in hot sambhar) and will eat them all.

I have served the hot sambhar with idli made with idli rava and coconut curry leaves chutney.

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Sambhar

Sambhar is a very popular South Indian dish made by cooking lentil (tuvar dal-pigeon peas) with vegetables such as bottle gourd, drumstick, brinjal, pumpkin, potato, okra or beans, spices, sambhar powder, curry leaves and tamarind. It is very nutritious and can be had for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is served as an accompaniment with idli, dosa, upma, uttapam, wada, paniyaram or steam rice.

Course Breakfast, Main Dish

Cuisine Indian, south Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 214kcal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup tuvar dal yellow pigeon peas washed and soaked for 1 hour
• 4 cup water
• 1 inch ginger grated
• 2 medium tomato chopped
• 1 cup bottle gourd doodhi chopped
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 drumstick cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp urad dal split black gram
• 1 tbsp chana dal split bengal gram
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds methi dana
• 1 tsp mustard seeds rai
• 2 dry red chili
• 2 tbsp sambhar masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 2 tsp corainder cumin seed powder dhania jeera powder
• 1 tamarind small ball
• red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp dessicated coconut

Instructions

• In a pressure cooker add the washed and drained tuvar dal.
  
• Add chopped bottle gourd, chopped tomato and grated ginger to it. Add 2 cups of water.
  
• 
• Mix well. Close the lid of pressure cooker with whistles. Cook for 4 whistles on high heat and 2 whistles on low heat. Let the pressure released as the cooker cools by itself.
  
• In the meantime, soak the tamarind in water.
  
• After the pressure cooker cools down, remove lid and blend the cooked mixture with a blender till smooth. I also strain the mixture so that the skin of tomatoes are removed.
  
• Heat oil in a big thick bottom pan. Add urad dal and chana dal and roast them till golden. Add mustard seeds, methi seeds, hing, dry red chili and curry leaves. Toss them well.
  
• Add the chopped onion, salt and cook till they are translucent.
  
• Add turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder, sambhar powder and dessicated coconut. Saute till fragnant.
  
• Add drumstick pieces. Mix well. Add water and let it boil till the drumstick soften.
  
• 
• Add the blended dal mixture. Mix well.
  
• Add jaggery , salt, mashed and strained tamarind water. Mix well and let the sambhar simmer.
  
• Boil and simmer sambhar for 7-8 minutes. Stir in between.
  
• The sambhar is ready to serve.
  
• Serve it hot with idli, dosa, uttapam, wada, upma, paniyaram or rice.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 664mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 23.9mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3.4mg