Sambar (Arachuvitta Sambar)

by Madhu Preethaw 6:17 AM 0 comments VEGETARIAN SPECIALITIES

                  Sambar is a flavorful lentil based stew with assorted vegetables. Indian spices, tamarind and coconut gives a nice flavor to sambar. You can use homemade or store bought sambar powder for this recipe.

             You can use 2 or more vegetables in sambar as per your wish. Vegetables that can be used in sambar are potato, carrot, radish, drumstick, brinjal, arvi, pumpkin, cauliflower, shallot, okra, bottle gourd, etc... Today I have used carrot, radish and drumstick.

             The sambar recipe, I am about to share goes well with idli, dosa, rave dosa, pongal, chapati, etc... This Arachuvitta sambar is good with tiffin items than with rice.

Prep time: 20 mins         Cook time: 30 mins      Waiting time: 25 mins       Serves: 9-10

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Toor dal
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• A lemon size Tamarind
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1 medium Onion (Slice thinly lengthwise)
• 1 large Tomato / 2 small Tomato (Chopped finely)
• 1 cup Assorted Vegetables
• Few Curry leaves
• 3-4 tsp Sambar powder
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves

To sauté and grind

• 1 tsp Oil
• 3 Pearl Onions
• 2 tsp Coriander seeds 
• 1 tbsp Coconut

Procedure

1. Wash dal and soak them for 15 minutes. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water and extract tamarind water.

2. Take dal in a cooker, add 2 and 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp turmeric and asafoetida.

3. After a whistle, lower the flame for 5-7 minutes and switch off.

4. When pressure releases, open the cooker, add salt and mash the dal nicely.

5. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard and when it sputters, add urad dal, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and onion. Sauté 4-5 minutes.

6. Add tomato. Sauté for 3 minutes.

7. Add vegetables and sauté for a minute.

8. Add Salt, half of sambar powder and remaining turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute.

9. Add the sautéed vegetables to the dal. Add tamarind extract and remaining sambar powder to the dal. Allow it to boil. Add water if necessary.

10. Close the cooker. Switch off the flame after a whistle.

11. Heat oil in the pan. Add pearl onions, coriander seeds and coconut. Sauté until coconut turns light brown. Let it cool down

12. Grind it into a smooth paste.

13. Add the ground paste into the sambar. Add enough water and let it boil for 2 minutes.

14. Sambar is ready... Garnish with coriander leaves while serving...