KERALA STYLE VEGETABLE SAMBAR

Sambar, in Kerala, is quite simple and a common dish served with every meal, in breakfast with idli or dosa and lunch or dinner with rice too. There aren't many kinds of sambar in Kerala contrary to Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, where sambar is made out of one or two vegetables only. In the Kerala-style sambar, carrots, potatoes, drumsticks, tomatoes, onions or shallots, cucumber, brinjal or eggplant and even tubers like yam too are added. More Simple & Easy-to-Cook Onasadhya Recipes @ BACHELOR'S ONASADHYA

Ingredients:-

1. Toor Dal (Tuvara Parippu) - ½ cup

2. Tamarind- a small cherry size piece, soaked in 1 cup of warm water

3. Onion – 1 no., sliced

4. Carrot- 1 no., peeled & cubed

5. Potato- 2 nos., peeled & cubed

6. Cucumber- ½ of one cucumber, peeled & cubed 

7. Tomato- 2 nos., cubed

8. Drumstick- 2 nos., cut into 2" size pieces

9. Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp.

10. Sambar powder- 3 tbsp. (I used Brahmins Sambar Powder)

11. Chili powder- ½ tbsp. (adjust according to your spice level)

12. Coriander powder- 2 tbsp.

13. Asafoetida / Hing (perumkaayam) – ½ tsp.

14. Salt- to taste

For tempering:

15. Coconut oil- 2 tbsp.

16. Mustard seed- ½ tsp.

17. Curry leaves- 2 or 3 sprig

18. Shallots- 4-5nos., sliced

19. Dry red chili- 2-3 nos.

Method:-

1. Take toor dal and vegetable pieces (except drumsticks, as it will be smashed if put it along) in a pressure cooker along with water to just cover the pieces and add sambar powder, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder and needed salt. Mix it well and cook it for 3-4 whistles in medium flame closed.

2. As the toor dal and vegetables are getting cooked, take soaked tamarind, squeeze it to extract the juice and discard pulp and seeds. Keep only the liquid at the end. (N.B: level of sourness is up to you, so add more tamarind if you require, but don’t add more as we are adding tomatoes too which will add to sourness)

3. When the toor dal and vegetables are done, open the lid of pressure cooker and add drumsticks along with tamarind water and asafetida. Stir it well and allow it to boil for 10 minutes. If the sambar is too thick, add more water and bring to boil and if it's too watery, boil until the right consistency is reached.

4. Heat the oil for tempering in a small pan and sputter the mustard. Then add curry leaves and dry red chili followed by shallot and saute. When the shallots turn golden brown, add it into the prepared sambar and mix well.

Done!!!

Note:-

- You can also use home prepared fresh sambar powder (Posted Here), made out of freshly grounded spices, in place of Branded Sambar Powder.