Mixed Vegetable Sambar

Sambar is one of the most popular dishes in South Indian cuisine. It is so versatile that it can be served as an accompaniment to most South Indian breakfast delicacies like idli, dosa, pongal, paniyaram, vada, upma along with peanut chutney or onion chutney or can be had with steamed rice as one of the main courses. Today I’m going to share Mixed Vegetable Sambar.

It is a spicy lentil based vegetable stew with a subtle sour flavour where mashed dal is cooked with assorted vegetables, sambar powder and tamarind pulp. For all the experts out there, let me tell you this is a post for beginners and for people who haven’t even heard of sambar .

Most preferred vegetables to prepare sambar includes drumstick, okra, eggplant, squash, radish, onion etc. You can be creative and add any of your favourite vegetables to infuse the flavour of that vegetable into the Mixed Vegetable Sambar.

Over the years sambar has seen numerous variations and every family adds their own personal touch to prepare sambar. This Mixed Vegetable Sambar is a simple and straightforward method using readily available sambar powder. I do make my own sambar powder, but today I’m out of stock and do not have time to prepare, so I opted the simpler method ;). The sambar powder is on its way to make it to my blog…Stay tuned!!

Off to the recipe for Mixed Vegetable Sambar!!

Step-by-Step process in preparing Mixed Vegetable Sambar:

• Grab all the ingredients and chop vegetables to bite sized pieces. Today I’m using 6 okras, 1 drumstick, ½ a carrot, 1 medium sized onion and tomato.
• Wash and soak dal in water for 10 minutes. Pressure cook dal along with water for about 3 whistles over high heat and the simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.This method to cook dal reduces the cooking time. Open the lid once the pressure subsides and mash the dal.

• In the mean time, soak tamarind in half a cup of water and microwave for a minute to extract the juice by squeezing it with hand and discard the pulp.

• Microwave the vegetables for about 5 minutes with a cup of water, red chilli powder and little salt (exclude onions and tomatoes). Ensure not to overcook the vegetables. Remove and keep it aside.

• Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and season it with mustard, cumin and red chilli. Once they splutter add asafoetida and curry leaves.

• Add sliced onion, stir for a minute till translucent and then add chopped tomatoes.

• Add sambar powder, turmeric, required salt and stir well till the tomatoes are mushy.

• Now add cooked vegetables, tamarind extract and stir well

• Add the mashed dal and mix well. Add water to get the desired consistency, adjust salt and allow it to come to a boil.

• Add some chopped coriander for flavour and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally so that the dal doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

• Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander and serve hot sambar with your favourite breakfast delicacies like idli, dosa, vada, pongal, paniyaram along with peanut chutney or onion chutney…..or just enjoy it with steamed rice.

Print Recipe

Mixed Vegetable Sambar

Mixed vegetable Sambar is a spicy lentil soup with a subtle sour flavour where dal is cooked with assorted vegetables, sambar powder and tamarind pulp.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 6 to 8 serving

Author: Padma

Ingredients

• ½ cup split red gram/Tuvar dal washed and soaked in water for 10 minutes
• 2 cups water to pressure cook dal
• Gooseberry sized tamarind soaked in half a cup of water and microwaved for a minute
• 1 ½ cup mixed vegetables of your choice chopped to bite sized pieces
• 1 cup of water to boil the vegetables
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For the seasoning:
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 dry red chilli
• A generous pinch of asafoetida
• A sprig of curry leaves
• Other ingredients:
• 1 medium sized onion slit lengthwise
• 1 medium sized tomato chopped
• 2 teaspoons sambar powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Required salt
• 2 Tablespoons of finely chopped coriander to garnish divided

Instructions

• Pressure cook soaked dal along with 2 cups water for about 3 whistles over high heat and the simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
• Open the lid once the pressure subsides and mash it.
• In the mean time extract tamarind juice by squeezing it with hand and discard the pulp.
• Microwave the vegetables in a cup of water along with red chilli powder and little salt (excluding onion and tomato pieces) for about 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and season it with mustard, cumin and red chilli. Once they splutter add asafoetida and curry leaves.
• Add sliced onions, stir for a minute till translucent and then add chopped tomatoes.
• Add sambar powder, turmeric, required salt and stir well till the tomatoes are mushy.
• Now add cooked vegetables, tamarind extract and stir well
• Add the mashed dal and mix well. Add water to get the desired consistency, adjust salt and allow it to come to a boil.
• Add some chopped coriander and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally so that the dal doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander and serve hot sambar with your favourite breakfast delicacies like idli, dosa, vada, pongal, paniyaram along with peanut chutney or onion chutney…..or just have it with steamed rice.

Notes

For faster cooking you can increase soaking time of the lentils in water for 30-45 mins before cooking them.
You can adjust spice levels and tanginess to suite your taste but the salt should be adjusted proportionally.
You can cook the vegetables in the pressure cooker to preserve the nutrients of the vegetables.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Cheers!!

Padma.