When lentil married vegetables like carrot, brinjal/eggplant, yam, potato, tomato, ladies finger/okra, onion and many more , their healthy union became what is called "Sambar". Looks like Mr.Lentil believed in polygamy.Though that's not a sacred union but when it comes to the health benefits, they are one sacred healthy union for sure.Both lentils and vegetables are low in calories and full of essential nutrients ,loaded with vitamins,proteins,fibers and antioxidant properties playing a vital role for good health.
Sambar is in fact as all Indians know , a lentil based vegetable stew or a soup ,especially a south Indian recipe , the pride of South India and a weakness of North India :).Recipes for sambar varies from region to region in India.So,one can't get bored of this dish that easily and can enjoy the different taste though it would be just mild variation as a side dish for breakfast with Idli-dosa, vada and for lunch and dinner with hot boiled rice .Yummmm..right?
My mom's sambar used to be a super duper hit in our colony when we were living in North India .All neighbors used to be such a big fan of my mom's sambar that I remember one of my bhaiya/brother figure ,my next door U P (Uttar Pradesh) aunty's son, when he had a small fight with his newly wedded pretty wifey,he agreed to patch up and give up the fight only on one condition, that she would have to learn how to make sambar from my mom ,which she happily agreed to and they lived happily ever after 8-) ..hehe jst kidding ..ofcourse by God's grace they are and may they always but certainly not just because of the sambar recipe but I guess it some how played a small but vital role as well :D.
My mom would once in a while share some hot yummy masala dosas, idli and her signature sambar with everyone in our neighborhood .Even on my birthday she would prepare a bunch of Masala dosas and sambar , chutneys exclusively for my friends and needless to say, they enjoyed it thoroughly. In short, everyone loved it EXCEPT me .I had my biggest enemy in that dish,"Vegetables"..not one but many.
Now that reminded me another instance during school days, when mom used to pack my lunch with dosa/idli sambar and I used to think different ways to dump that sambar as my mom after coming back from school would check upon me,my lunch box to ensure I ate my lunch properly . My classmates and to top it all one of my Bengali junior friend came to my ultimate rescue eventually. They would in fact finish that sambar in a snap in such a way that I don't think my mom had to even bother cleaning up my lunch box. My junior friend would savor each and every chunky vegetable as if she was never ever gonna get this sambar in her life again. I was speechless but happy at the bottom of my heart as my mission was accomplished.Yayyyy time !!
However , it was during hostel life and especially life after marriage I truly realized the value of mom made foods. I wished I was not abroad but in any state of India and somehow I could reach home and mom or get her near me..Sighhh !! Sob sob !!! So, since it was not gonna happen that easily I had to do something to silence my hunger pangs ,come in terms with the vegetable world too and do some justice to the big kitchen staring at me and it wasn't about just me after all , I am suppose to cook for Honey P as well.All these factors motivated or pushed me to cook something and the first thing I tried was "SAMBAR".Through trial and error I came out with a good sambar liked by my man and friends equally.
So,this is how I make my ,"Sambar"
Ingredients:
Toor Dal/Split pigeon peas - 1 cup
Onion chopped - 1 cup
Tomato chopped - 1 cup
Potato cubed- 1 cup
Yam cubed - 1 cup
Eggplant/Brinjal cubed- 1 cup
Pumpkin cubed- 1 cup
Ash Gourd cubed- 1 cup
Raw Banana cubed- 1 cup
Drumstick - 1 cut into 4 pieces
Green chili - 2 nos. (Optional)
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - To taste
Tamarind pulp/extract- 1/4 cup
Sambar Powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
For Tempering :
Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
Dry red chili - 2
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon or 2 small pieces
Shredded Coconut - 1 tablespoon (optional)
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaf - 1 stalk
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Coriander leaf (optional)
Preparation method :
- Heat the pressure cooker and add lentil, the toor dal , all vegetables, turmeric powder and enough water and cook it on high flame for one whistle and then lower the flame and wait for two more whistles and turn off the stove.
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- Take a medium pan or karahi and heat oil, splutter mustard seeds and lower the flame and add fenugreek seeds, dry chilies, asafoetida and fry shredded coconut for a minute .Add two three curry leaves .
- Now to this tempering pan add all those cooked dals and vegetables, Sambar powder (I use Eastern) and tamarind extract, stir and boil it .
- Once it comes to boil, reduce the flame and let it simmer for a while like 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves.
- Put the stove off and there, Sambar is ready to be served.
- Enjoy with idly, dosa, Vada with breakfast and/or with rice for lunch and dinner.
For you....
Notes:
- You can also use Masoor dal.
- Soak a small amla/gooseberry size tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water and extract the pulp and use it.
- You can use any vegetable. The choice is yours.
