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Ways of Making Sambhar


Method 1

  1. Boil lentils (yellow split) with about 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 cloves garlic, a bit of oil ( a tbsp ?). Boil lentils till it is soft. I remove half of it and blend it, to puree it, add it back to the pot. I do this to thicken the sambar.
  2. I then add vegetables like potatoes, carrots and a tomato.
  3. Half way cooking I add a tsp of chilli powder, a tsp of curry powder and a bit of tamarind juice. At this point I will add water if need be, depending on how thick or thin I want the gravy to be.
  4. When the above is cooked, in a separate pan I heat about 1 tbsp oil, add sliced onions, mustard seeds, 1 dried chillie broken into 3 bits. I cook this till the mustard seeds pop and the onion looks kind of burnt. I add this to the pot of boiling sambar. Add salt. Taste it, add more chilli powder or salt. When it boils, turn off heat and it's done.
  5. Some people add asafoetida, teeny bit, because it removes the effects of flatulence in the tummy.
  6. I also make a slight variation to this dish, adding other kind of spices and meat and it is called Dhalcha.

Method 2

I am assuming that every one has dashed down to the local Indian food and spices stores and bought them selves a packet of SAMBAR POWDER of top quality. Good, here is a recipe that is quite different to anything you have tasted so far on an Indian menu. It is a vegetarian dish, I have never tried it with meat added, nor have I heard of any one else. It is quite simple to make and should be eaten with plain rice (don't use Basmathi rice with this particular dish).

  1. Cook 125 gms of Thoor dhal with a litre of water
  2. You will be able to buy this at any Indian stores, it is a kind of split lentil (small round seeds split into half )also spelt Toor Dahl, buy the one which is not coated with oil, it is a dull light yellow colour and wash it well before you start to cook it.
  3. Add a teaspoonful Turmeric powder and a Tablespoonful of Oil while cooking the Dhal. Before the Dhal is fully cooked (You can tell if its fully cooked by how soft it is, it will be very soft and mash easily if you took a seed or two and press it between your finger and thumb ! so it should still feel a bit hard.)
  4. Now add chopped onions and some other favourite vegetables of yours, doesn't really matter what you add, as long as they are not pre-cooked and would generally take all of them the same time to cook. (I suggest a few potatoes two tomatoes and similar veg but not peas and spinach and such, you know what I mean !)
  5. After the Dhal and veggies are fully cooked add 4 or 5 teaspoonful of SAMBAR POWDER, salt to taste, a touch of lime juice and may be a tomato or two. Cook the whole for ten minutes. Before removing the vessel containing the boiling Sambar from the cooker add some Coriander leaves. And that is it !!

Method 3

  1. Cook the dal (tuvar=arhar) till soft, mash.
  2. In the meantime, in a largeish heavyish vessel, heat some oil. When hot add to it mustard seeds (spoonful), a few methi=fenugreek seeds, a little hing=asafoetida, a red chili or two (depending on how hot you want it).
  3. Wait until the mustard seeds pop. Add curry leaves if you have any.
  4. Add chopped up onions, let brown a bit
  5. Add other veggies (eggplant, okra are often standard), saute a bit
  6. Add tamarind extract, turmeric, salt, more water if necessary and let things cook
  7. Add sambar powder, let boil a bit (2-3 min).
  8. Add cooked, mashed dal and let the whole thing boil a while.
  9. Top with curry leaves, perhaps coriander leaves (I would not).
  10. You can probably get away with not using methi, hing and curry leaves (but they make a huge difference). But you need that tarka!