Sambar is one of the prime south Indian vegetarian delicacies. It is a spicy stew/soup with variety of vegetables and lentil. Many types of Sambar persist depending on the meal of the day, region and vegetables used.It is a main part of Onam/Vishu Sadya, keralites Vegetable Feasts. Sambar is a popular side dish with many main courses like steamed rice, Dosa, Idly, Vada etc…yeah! It is an unavoidable dish in my small world too. So I try to prepare variety of sambar in my magic kitchen. This is one of our favourites thick and tasty sambar. In this recipe I have used homemade sambar powder. It gives a special taste and aroma. I am sure you guys also like this recipe very much and here is the recipe for that tasty Sambar. Try it and enjoy 🙂
| Recipe Type | Side Dish | |
| Cooking and Preparation Time | 30 to 45 Minutes | |
| Serve to | 7 to 8 |
Ingredients For Sambar
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Split Yellow Lentil/Toor Daal/Thuvara Parippu | ½ Cup | Clean and soak in 2 cups of water for at least 3 hours. |
| Tamarind/Pizhu Pulli Juice | 1 cup | Soak one gooseberry sized tamarind in one cup water and strain it. |
| Asafoetida gum/kaayam | 1 Small piece | You can use 1 Teaspoon kaayam powder instead of hard gum |
| Turmeric Powder/Manjal | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Home Made Sambar Powder | 3 Tablespoon | Click and read the recipe |
| Potato/Urulla kizhanghu | 2 Medium | diced |
| Drumstick/Murighikha | 1 Big | Cut into length wise |
| Ladies Finger/Vendakka | 8 Numbers | Cut into length wise |
| Lablab Beans/Avara | 10 numbers | Cut into length wise |
| Elephant Yam/Chena | A Small Piece | Diced |
| Eggplant/Kathirikka | 2 Small | Diced |
| Golden Pumpkin/Mathagha | A Small Piece | Diced |
| Cucumber/Vellarikka | A Small | Diced |
| Tomato | 1 Medium | Diced |
| Shallots/Small onion | 5 to 6 | Diced |
| Garlic/Velluthulli | 6 Cloves | Diced |
| Green Chilly | 4 Numbers | Sliced Length wise |
| Curry leaves | Few | |
| Salt | As Per Your Taste | |
| Water | As Per Required |
Ingredients For Garnishing/Tempting sambar
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Mustard Seeds/kaduku | ½ Teaspoon | |
| Shallots/Small Onions | 3 Numbers | Chopped Finely |
| Red Dry Chilly | 3 Numbers | Cut into 2 pieces each |
| Curry leaves | Few | |
| Coriander Leaves/malli ella | Few | Chopped |
Method For Sambar
• Place all vegetables and soaked toor daal in a pressure cooker.
• Add turmeric Powder, asafoetida and tamarind water.
• Add salt as per your taste.
• Add water as required.
• Cover and cook until the pressure cooker whistles twice.
• When the pressure released add 3 tablespoon homemade Sambar powder (adjust as per your taste) and mix well. Keep aside.
Method For Garnishing/Tempting Sambar
• Heat oil in a sauce Pan.
• Pop mustard seeds.
• Add chopped shallots/small onions, dry chilly pieces and curry leaves. Fry well.
• When its golden brown, Pour it over the sambar and Mix well.
• Taste it and add salt if required.
• Garnish with Chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot or cold with steamed rice & pappad, Idly or Dosa. Enjoy!
More Sambar recipes please click HERE








Always my fav……. Looks yummm and tempting too!!
Tempting sambar. Love it
Lovely thick sambhar. Looks very tempting
Sambar s such a comfort food. Looks yum
Kerala’s ever drooling sambar.. perfect post for the upcoming ona sadya Rani.. 🙂