Ingredients

• ¾ cup toor dal (pigeon pea lentils)
• 3 cups water (for cooking dal)
• Salt to taste

• 1 carrot, chopped
• ½ cup pumpkin or bottle gourd
• ½ cup drumstick pieces
• ½ cup onion or shallots
• 1 tomato, chopped

• 2 tbsp sambar powder
• 1 small lemon-sized tamarind
• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 10–12 curry leaves
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)

Instructions

1. Cook Dal: Wash and pressure cook toor dal with turmeric and water until soft. Mash well.
2. Prepare Tamarind: Soak tamarind in warm water and extract thick pulp.
3. Cook Vegetables: In a pot, cook vegetables with salt and little water until tender.
4. Add Tamarind: Add tamarind pulp to vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add Spices: Add sambar powder and mix well.
6. Add Dal: Add mashed dal and required water. Simmer gently.
7. Prepare Tempering: Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin, red chillies, curry leaves, and hing.
8. Serve: Pour tempering over sambar, mix gently, and serve hot.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic South Indian flavour
• Nutritious and filling
• Perfect with breakfast or meals
• Customisable vegetables
• Comforting everyday dish

Common Mistakes

• Adding too much tamarind
• Using raw-smelling sambar powder
• Over-mashing vegetables
• Skipping tempering

Variations

Tiffin Sambar: Add more onions and less vegetables.
Kerala Sambar: Use coconut oil for tempering.
No Onion: Skip onion for temple-style sambar.

Personal Note

Sambar is comfort food at its best for me. The aroma of curry leaves and sambar powder instantly reminds me of South Indian breakfasts. Whether with idli or rice, it always feels nourishing and satisfying.