Sambar
Pumpkin and Drumstick Sambar. A delicious vegetarian, lentil based stew from Southern India. Nourishing and extremely wholesome.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Pigeon Pea Lentils ((arhar/ toor dal))
- 4-5 cups Water
- 1 cup Pumpkin (cut into cubes)
- 2 Drumsticks (cut into 2 inch long pieces)
- 2 tbsp Sambar Powder
- 1 Red Onion (finely sliced)
- ½ tsp Red Chili Powder (optional)
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Tamarind Paste or a small knob of Tamarind soaked in ¼ cup warm water
- 1-2 tbsp Jaggery Powder or grated jaggery
- 2-3 Whole Red Chillies (roughly broken)
- ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds
- ¼ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ⅛ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 8-10 Fresh Curry Leaves
- 2-3 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Wash the lentils well under running water and transfer them into a pressure cooker along with 4 cups of water, turmeric, and salt.
- Keep aside and let soak for about 30 minutes.
- Add the chopped vegetable into the pressure cooker, close the lid, and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Switch off and let the pressure release naturally. Once done, gently mash the dal/ lentils only with the back of a spatula
- If you have soaked the knob of tamarind, mash it slightly and strain the tamarind pulp/ juice and keep it aside in a bowl.
- Take a small pan and heat oil. Add the cumin, mustard seeds and asafetida. Once they splutter, add the fenugreek seeds and sliced onions and let them cook until light brown.
- Add the broken red chilies and curry leaves followed by red chili powder (optional) and let this mixture cook for another minute on low flame.
- Place the pressure cooker back on the flame and let the lentils simmer. Add the sambar powder and jaggery, and mix well.
- Feel free to add 1/2-1 cup water if the lentils have thickened.
- Let this mixture simmer on low to medium flame after which add the tamarind extract as per the desired flavor. Mix well and continue to simmer for another approximately 10 minutes.
- Adjust the seasoning and switch off the flame. Add a tbsp ghee before serving hot with steamed rice/ idlis/ dosas or deep-fried vadas!