You might also like these south Indian recipes for white pumpkin sambar, onion sambar and cabbage kootu.
What is sambar?
A sambar (also called kuzhambu) is a south Indian-style dal or lentil and vegetable stew. This is a bedrock dish of south Indian cuisine, eaten every day in homes, especially in the state of Tamil Nadu. Sambar usually has vegetables added to it, like pumpkin, small shallots, okra, eggplant, carrots, drumsticks (seed pods of the moringa tree), potatoes, etc., and you can make it with a mix of vegetables or with just one kind of veggie (like this onion sambar or white pumpkin sambar). If you’ve been to a south Indian restaurant, you know sambar as one of the dipping sauces served with dosa or idli, alongside a coconut chutney. The restaurant version is usually watered down and often too spicy: rarely on a par with a fresh, homemade sambar. I have two versions of sambar for you today: a simple one made with sambar powder, and a version made with a fresh-ground masala. Each is delicious, but in our home it’s the fresh-ground masala version, called arachuvitta sambar, that is most beloved by my Tamil husband, Desi.
Why you will love this recipe
Nourishing and filling. Sambar is chock-full of healthy foods, including lentils, vegetables and spices, and seasonings that include turmeric, red chili peppers, hing or asafetida, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When you pair this healthy dal with rice or dosa or idli (which are made with rice), you create a perfect vegan protein with a side of healthy fiber and tons of nutrients. Delicious. Every dal is delicious, but a sambar is especially so. The spices and vegetables transform it into a truly gastronomic delight. Simple recipe. Making a sambar can be a bit of a process, but it is easy to master. Make it a couple of times and you will be turning out fresh sambar in under an hour, impressing family and friends! Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan recipe. Not only is a sambar gluten-free, but it is usually paired with gluten-free foods, like rice, dosa and idli, keeping the entire meal gluten-free.
How to make sambar with fresh-ground masala
Cook the dal
Make the sambar masala
Make sambar
Tempering for sambar (tadka)
Top tips
Cook the lentils to a mushy and soft consistency. The lentils should not hold their shape in the sambar. They should create a smooth, creamy base for the vegetables, which will add lots of texture. Use lots of curry leaves. Curry leaves add wonderful flavor to sambar. I use it at three different stages in this recipe. Tweak the spice level to your taste. I use two or three dried red chilli peppers because Desi can’t tolerate too much heat. If you like your food spicier, you can add up to 10 chili peppers (do so with caution, though, and make sure you know how spicy the type of chili pepper you are using is). Use the stock from the dal. In my pressure cooker the lentils appear to use up most of the water, but if you have more liquid left in the lentils after they have cooked to the right consistency, don’t throw it out. It is full of flavor. Add it to the sambar with the dal and just use less water.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store the sambar in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Freeze: Sambar can be frozen for up to three months, in a freezer-safe container. Reheat. Reheat the sambar (thaw first if frozen) in a saucepan or in the microwave until heated through. Sambar tastes best hot or warm.
More south Indian recipes
Recipe card
Dried red chili peppers (kanja milagai). You can use byadgi or kashmiri red chili peppers from the Indian store. Arbol peppers are also a fine substitute but they can be spicier, so factor that in when you make the masala. Fenugreek seeds (methi dana or venthayam). A sambar has all of the flavors–spicy, salty, sweet, tangy and bitter. This is what makes it so delicious. The fenugreek adds that key bitterness, but use very little. Cumin seeds Black peppercorns Coriander seeds Uncooked rice. This helps thicken the sambar. Use any uncooked rice you have at home. Chana dal (kadalai paruppu). Onions. Red pearl onions are ideal, but you can use red onions as I did. Curry leaves Tomato. This adds lovely color and more tangy flavor to the sambar.
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