Lentil Sambar Recipes

SAMBAR (SPICY LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW)

Steps:

• Combine water, toor dal, onion, tomato, pumpkin, okra, peas, and radishes in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until dal, pumpkin, and radishes start to soften, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat and add mustard seeds. Stir in garlic, red peppers, curry leaves, and sambar powder. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir seasoned oil mixture into the stew and cook until flavors combine, 25 to 30 minutes more. Stir in tamarind, salt, and red chile powder.

LENTIL SAMBAR

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils, place them in a small saucepan with the 3 cups of water, and bring them to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender.
• Stir occasionally, adding more water if necessary.
• While the lentils are cooking, chop the onion, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
• Warm the oil in a pot and saute the mustard, fenugreek, and cumin seeds on medium heat, covering the pot and shaking it occasionally to prevent burning.
• When the mustard seeds begin to pop, stir in the turmeric, coriander, cinnamom, cayenne, and chopped chile and saute for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in the tamarind liquid, then add the onions, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and salt and combine.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers, cover, and continue to cook until all of the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the cooked lentils and stir them into the vegetable mixture.
• Reheat if necessary, then stir in the cilantro.
• Ladle over basmati rice and serve with Mango Peach Chutney and a generous dollop of yogurt,if desired.

SAMBAR

Steps:

• To a pressure cooker, add the rinsed dal with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups (24 oz) of water. Cook for 5 whistles on medium-high flame, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and mash the cooked dal lightly with a potato masher. Set aside. If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook for 9 minutes on high pressure with natural pressure release.
• Meanwhile soak 1 tablespoon tamarind piece in 1/3 cup of hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Then strain the liquid using a strainer. You will get 3 to 4 tablespoons of tamarind water/juice. Set it aside.
• In a pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped eggplant and cook for around 2 minutes.
• Add carrots and frozen drumsticks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 1 minute.
• Then add around 3 cups (24 oz) water and stir.
• Add 2 tablespoons sambar powder (or adjust to taste). Also add jaggery powder, and 4 tablespoons of the tamarind water that you had extracted earlier.
• Stir in the cooked dal. Also add the kashmiri red chili powder, if using.
• Stir everything together and let the sambar simmer on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
• For the tempering, heat 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil if you want to keep this vegan), in a small pan on medium heat.
• Once the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add the hing and curry leaves for stir for few seconds until leaves turn crisp.
• Pour tempering over the simmering sambar.
• Serve the sambar hot with idli, dosa or rice!

PRESSURE COOKER SAMBAR (INDIAN LENTIL CURRY)

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water, lentils, eggplant, turmeric, and salt in a pressure cooker. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 10 minutes. Adjust temperature until regulator is gently rocking. Cook for 3 minutes and remove from heat. Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and remove.
• Add remaining 2 1/2 cups water, tamarind paste, and chile powder to the pressure cooker. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and remove.
• Combine oil, dried chile, curry leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and asafoetida powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until spices begin to sputter a bit, about 1 minute. Transfer spice mixture to the pressure cooker with the lentils. Season with salt.