A Hearty, Tangy-Savory Stew for Every Meal
Nothing says comfort like a warm bowl of Vegetable Sambar. Made with protein-rich toor dal, tamarind, and a medley of seasonal vegetables, this traditional South Indian stew is infused with the rich flavors of sambar podi and tempered with curry leaves, cumin, and pearl onions. The perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and aromatic notes makes it a soul-satisfying companion to steamed rice or idlis. Crafting it with authentic sambar podi ensures you capture the true essence of homemade South Indian cooking.
Vegetable Sambar (Mixed Veg Lentil Stew)
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings
6
Difficulty
Medium
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
South Indian
Diet Type
Vegetarian
Spiciness
Medium
Occasion
Everyday
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal/split pigeon peas
- ½ cup tamarind soaked water & filtered
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp sambar podi, more if needed
- 2 cup vegetables of your choice (I have added drumstick, brinjal, broad beans, radish, raw mango)
- Water, as needed
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 2 garlic flakes
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ cup chopped pearl onions
- 1 stick curry leaves
- 2 tbsp crushed tempering balls/thallipu vadagam, optional
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Asafoetida, a pinch
Steps
- Wash toor dal and pressure cook with tomato and garlic. Add 2 cups of water and cook until the dal turns soft. Mash dal and keep aside.
- Heat a claypot with mashed dal and add chopped vegetables. Add 2 cups of water, asafoetida, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt to taste.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes. Add tamarind extract and chopped raw mango slices. Switch off the flame.
- Heat 1 tbsp gingelly oil for tempering. Add pearl onions, curry leaves, cumin seeds and crushed tempering balls. Saute a while and add this to the sambar. Serve sambar with cooked rice.
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