South Indian Sambar is super easy to make at home, this recipe full of pulses and vegetables will give a perfect taste like the market.

South Indian Style Sambar Recipe: Nowadays everyone wants to eat something which tastes good and is also good for health. For this reason, South Indian food is trending all over India these days. Especially Sambar, which is a dish that you can eat with Idli, Dosa, Vada, Uttapam or rice, its taste wins your heart every time. The mild spicy aroma, creamy texture of dal and the flavor of lots of mixed vegetables together make it even more special. As tasty as the Sambar available in the market is, it is equally easy to make it at home. If you just know the right sambar powder, perfect tadka and the trick of boiling the dal, then your homemade sambar will also be like that of a South Indian restaurant. In this recipe, we will tell you in a very simple and step by step manner how you can make bucketful sambar which will win the praise of the entire family.

1. Ingredients required to make Sambar
There are a lot of vegetables in sambar but it is not necessary that you have everything. You can change the vegetables as per your choice and availability.

• Lentils
• Arhar dal: 1 cup
• Turmeric: 1 teaspoon
• Water: to boil dal

vegetables

• Bottle gourd
• Ridge gourd
• ladyfinger
• Pumpkin
• Tomato
• Drumstick
• Carrot
• onion or small pearl onion

spices

• Sambar powder: 2 to 3 teaspoons
• chilli powder
• coriander powder
• salt as per taste
• Tamarind
• Tamarind pulp: 2 to 3 teaspoons
• Tadka
• rye
• Fenugreek
• Curry leaf
• dried red chilli
• Asafoetida
• oil or ghee

2. Perfect trick to boil pulses

• Good sambar always starts with dal.
• Wash the lentils thoroughly and soak them for 20 minutes.
• Put pulses, turmeric and water in the cooker and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
• The dal should boil absolutely creamy and smooth.
• If you want, you can also add some ghee to the dal, which further enhances its flavor.

3. How to prepare vegetables

• The vegetables in Sambar should neither be overcooked nor remain raw.
• Cut the vegetables in medium size.
• Fry the ladyfinger lightly separately so that it does not stick.
• Add tomato and onion last so that the flavor comes out well.

4. How to prepare sambar base

• Put some oil in a big pan.
• Add mustard seeds and crackle.
• Now add curry leaves, fenugreek and dry chillies.
• As soon as the asafoetida smells, add tomatoes and onions.
• As soon as the tomatoes become soft, add all the chopped vegetables.
• Add salt and cook for 5 minutes.
• Now add enough water in it so that the vegetables can boil well.

5. Right way to mix tamarind and pulses

• After the vegetables boil, add the dal cooked in the cooker.
• Now add sambar powder and some red chilli powder.
• When sambar starts boiling, add tamarind pulp.
• Always add tamarind last because vegetables do not cook properly if added first.

6. Tips to make Sambar flavourful

• Lower the flame and let the sambar cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
• If the sambar seems thin then add some mashed dal.
• If sambar seems thick then add some water.
• Adding some jaggery on top makes the taste of sambar more balanced.

7. Make it taste like hotel with other seasonings
Sambar in South Indian restaurants seems so fragrant because they add a tadka at the end.

• Heat some oil in a small pan.
• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies in it.
• Switch off the gas and add this tadka to the sambar.
• Your sambar is now ready for restaurant style flavour.

8. When and how to serve sambar

• Serve the sambar hot.
• with idli
• with dosa
• Medu Vada
• Uttapam
• or steamed rice
• If you add a glossy spoon of ghee on top, its taste increases even more.

9. Extra tips that will be very useful

• Always take tur dal as it gives perfect texture.
• It is best if the Sambar powder is homemade, otherwise take any good brand.
• Do not overcook the vegetables, otherwise the sambar becomes mushy.
• If you get drumstick then definitely add it, it makes the flavor of sambar real.
• Carrot and pumpkin taste very good in sambar in winter.

Making South Indian Sambar is easier than it seems. Just boil the dal creamy, cook the vegetables in balance and keep the tadka perfect. This recipe will bring the same classic hotel taste to your kitchen every time.