This is the recipe
where the masala is ground fresh - not using Sambar Powder
Sambar taste comes
from three aspects
- The vegetables you use - following are good combinations
- Okra and shallots (or Red Onions or Peeled Pearl Onions)
- Drumsticks
- Shallots (or Red Onions)
- Daikon or Red Radish (with or without Onions)
- Baby or small cut potates (with or without onions)
- Capsicum and onions
- Gastronomic elements
- Fresh Curry Leaves
- Fresh Cilantro leaves
- Hing (Asafoetida)
- Masala you grind OR Sambar powder
Adding thickeners
like Rice flour paste or corn flour etc will spoil the taste of your sambar
Use of Tamrind paste
may not give the same taste as fresh Tamrind
Ingredients:
Tamrind ball - Small
Lime size
Toor Dal - half a US
cup - Dry
Turmeric Powder
Cooking Oil
Mustard Seeds
Masala Ingredients:
- Red Chillies (mild) 2-3 --> Adjust this per your taste
- Methi seeds (1/4 tsp)
- Kasuri Methi dry leaves - 1 tsp - Optional
- Chana Dal - 1 Table Spoon
- Fresh Coriander Seeds - 1 Table Spoon
- Hing - 1 pinch
- Fresh coconut - 2 table spoons
Cooking Steps:
- Cook the Toor Dal in a pressure cooker with a Pinch of turmeric powder
- You can substitute with Masoor Dal (same quantity) which can be cooked very quickly in an open vessel
- In a microwaveable cup add about half a cup water and heat it for 1-1.5 minutes (very hot)
- Drop the Tamrind into the hot water and let it soak for a few minutes (3-5)
- Take a large sauce pan - pour the tamrind water into the pan - leave the Tamrind in the cup
- Now add cold water to the cup and with your fingers squeeze the tamrind so more juice gets extracted. Pour the juice into the pan. Repeat this once more till all the Tarmind juice is extracted.
- From the above vegetable combination pick what you want and cut into big pieces (about 1 inch long) --> Need about 1- 1.5 cup vegetables
- Add the vegetables to the Tamrind juice in the pan and place it on your stove. Add a pinch of Hing and 2 pinches turmeric powder and salt (start with about 1/2 tsp), few curry leaves
- Watch the pan so the juice doesn’t dry up - add some cold water as needed
- The job is done when the vegetables are cooked in the juice. You can test with a fork or spoon by pressing on the vegetable pieces to check if it is cooked
- Turn off the heat when vegetables are cooked.
- While the Tamrind juice with the vegetables is cooking you can start in parallel on your masala
- To a small pan heat 1-2 tsp of oil - add the Masala ingredients (Except the Coconut) in order and slowly fry them
- You are done when your methi seeds and Chana Dal turn brown --> if they turn black you have gone too far
- Let the masala ingredients cool down; add all the ingredients to a small mixer jar, add the fresh coconut, add about 1/8 cup water and grind them. Grind them coarse to medium fine. Don’t grind to a very fine paste.
- When the vegetables in tamrind juice are cooked, add the ground masala AND add the cooked toor/masoor dal to the pan. Add water to the pan to get a thick soup consistency. Start heating the pan till you see little bit of froth on the top - typically 3-4 minutes. Switch off the heat.
- In a small pan heat 1 tsp oil and add 1 tsp black mustard seeds - fry till they start spluttering.
- Add the mustard seeds with the oil to the sambar.
- Add a few fresh curry leaves and 1 tsp freshly chopped Cilantro leaves to the sambar.
- Check the salt and add if needed. Ensure you mix it evenly.
- Enjoy your Sambar with Dosa, rice, Idli, Vada or whatever else you want to enjoy with.
Variations:
- Adding half a teaspoon Urad dal also while frying the masala
- Adding half a teaspoon fresh coriander seeds (RAW) while grinding the masala (in addition to what you fried)
- Frying the vegetables slightly before adding to Tamrind Juice to cook
- You can use Kashmiri Chili in place of regular chillies for a deep Red Color and mildness
- Using Kasuri Methi dry leaves add a great flavor to the masala
- For people with acid problems you can substitute Tamrind with 2 medium sized tomatoes.
