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| Cuisine of India

The South Indian staple breakfast item of idli, sambar, and vada served on a banana leaf.

Sambar or sambhar (Kannada: ಸಾಂಬಾರ್‍, Malayalam: സാമ്പാർ, Tamil சாம்பார் (சாம்பாறு in Sri Lanka), Telugu: సాంబారు), pronounced "saambaar", is a dish common in southern India and Sri Lanka, made of dal (usually red gram, also called toor dal) and vegetables in a spicy tamarind and dal flour soup base. Sambar is usually poured over or alongside steamed rice. In the south of India, vada sambar and idli sambar are popular breakfast foods.

Several minor variants exist depending on the meal of the day, region, and the vegetable used. Sambar without dal (but with vegetables or fish) is called kozhambu in Tamil Nadu. There are major and minor variants of kozhambu (mor kozhambu, vathal kozhambu, rasavangi, etc.) Note that there are minor but subtle differences in preparation between all the variants (for instance, whether vegetables are added to the tamarind water or vice versa, which make them taste different).

Sambar with rice is one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. It is also served with idli, dosa and vada. It is not uncommon to eat sambar rice with appalam (papad).

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240ml) yellow lentils (arhar or toor dal)
• 1½ cups water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp sambhar masala *
• 3 tbsp thickish tamarind pulp OR 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 7-8 leaves of curry leaves
• 2-3 whole dry red peppers
• methi seeds (Uhuluva) - ¼ tablespoon
• 1 tsp asafoetidia (Kayam) (optional)
• 1 big onion, cut into quarters
• garlic - 1 teaspoon (chopped)
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) to garnish.
• 1 cup (240ml) mixed vegetables, cut into approx.1" cubes, e.g.
  • tomato
  • a medium sized potato
  • brinjal (eggplant, aubergine, kath tharik kaai)
  • drumsticks
  • lady's fingers
  • small onions

• Sambar masala can also be made by grinding together but frying individually the following with a drop of sunflower, groundflower or gingily oil until you get a mild roasted smell:

5 spoons of coriander seeds, 3 spoons of channa dal, 2 spoons of sesame seeds, 20 strands of chilli (increased or decreased based on your requirement), 3 spoons of desiccated coconut, 20 curry leaves, 1/2 spoon fenugreek seeds , 1 spoon of asafoetida powder.

It can be stored for a month

Procedure

1. Wash the dal, and cook in water with salt until absolutely tender, no grains remain.
2. Add sambhar masala, sugar and vegetables, including the onions, and cook until the vegetables are tender, and add tamarind.

   Note : It is better to add the tamarind juice after the vegetables are tenderly cooked.

3. For seasoning (Tadka), Heat oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the whole red peppers and the curry leaves.
4. Stir 2-3 times, then add the dal mixture. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 5 minutes.

Variation - Kerala/Tamil style