Kerala Sambar / Kerala Style Sambar

Sambar is a vegetable stew made with tamarind and toor dal, and  sambar is very popular in the southern regions of India especially in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Each state in the South prepares sambar with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment. Today I am sharing Kerala Sambar recipe. This is my mom's recipe.I love to have sambar with Dosa.

Ingredients

Chopped vegetables 

( Carrot , Brinjal , Cucumber , Drumstick , Potato, Tomato , Ladies Finger , Plantain , Yam , Pumpkin etc )  ~ 3 cups 

Onion ~ 1 No

Green chillies ~ 3-4 Nos ( Split lengthwise )

Toor Dal / Thuvara Parippu ~ 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup

Tamarind ~ 1 lemon sized

Coriander powder ~ 2 1/2 tbsp

Chilly powder ~ 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder ~ 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek powder (Uluva ) ~ 3 pinch

Cumin powder ~ 1 pinch

Mustard seeds

Dry red chillies ~ 2-3 Nos

Shallots ~ 2-3 Nos

Curry leaves ~ 1 stem 

Asafoetida powder ( Kayam ) ~ 2 pinch 

Chopped Coriander leaves ~ 1/4 cup ( Optional )

Oil

Salt

Method

• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 15-20 minutes and squeeze the juice out of it.

• Wash the toor dal nicely and then pressure cook the toor dal by adding enough water and little salt for about 1-2 whistles. Wash and chop the vegetables and onion to medium sized pieces. 

• Then pressure cook chopped vegetables, chopped onions , green chillies , little salt and tamarind juice by adding 2 cups of water. Just 1 whistle is enough and Release the pressure immediately.(Note: You can even cook the vegetables in a sauce pan)

• Then heat little oil in a large vessel and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, add dry red chillies. Then add shallots ,curry leaves and coriander leaves (Optional ). When shallots become brown in color, add coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder and cumin powder and fry till the raw smell of the powders go.

• Then add cooked vegetables and cooked toor dal and simmer in a medium-low flame till the sambar reaches your desired consistency. Add asafoetida powder before removing from the flame

Have sambar with Rice / Dosa / Idily / Vada. 

Cheers,