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Kerala Sambar Recipe

nags
Kerala sambar recipe, a delicious South Indian sambar with a medley of vegetables, cooked Kerala-style.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Vegetarian Gravy
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup of toor dal tuvaram parippu
  • 1 cup of tamarind water see preparation steps
  • 1 onion sliced long
  • 1 carrot cubed
  • 1 potato cubed
  • 1 drumstick cut into 4" pieces
  • 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
  • 2 green chillies slit
  • 3 tbsp of sambar powder
  • 1 small bunch of coriander leaves chopped, for garnish
  • Salt to taste

For tempering:

  • 1 tbsp of coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds kaduku
  • 5-6 fenugreek seeds uluva, vendhayam
  • 1/2 tsp of hing kaaya podi, perungaayam
  • A few curry leaves
  • 4-5 shallots ulli, chinna vengaayam, sliced

Instructions
 

  • Cook the toor dal with water in a pressure cooker until it's soft and completely mushy. While this is getting cooked, make some fresh sambar powder.
  • Soak a small ball of tamarind in warm water and squeeze to extract the juice. Discard pulp and seeds. You should have a cup of liquid at the end. The level or sourness is up to you so add more tamarind if you require.
  • Cook the vegetables and green chillies in the tamarind water + one more cup of water until soft. Add the sambar powder, turmeric powder, and the cooked toor dal. Bring to boil. 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.
  • Add salt and mix well.
  • Heat the oil for tempering in a small pan. Add the mustard and when they pop, add the rest of the ingredients. When the shallots turn golden brown, dunk into the prepared sambar. Mix well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.