Drumstick Sambhar

by Shaheen Ali

Sambar is a lentil based vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind popular in South India. Sambar is made either exclusively with one of these vegetables or a combination of them – okra, carrot, radish, pumpkin, potatoes, tomatoes, brinjal(eggplant) and whole or halved shallots or onions. Sambar powder is a coarse powder made of roasted lentils, dried whole red chilies, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves with regional variations including cumin, black pepper, grated coconut, cinnamon, or other spices. The vegetables, tamarind pulp, sambar powder, turmeric, salt, and asafoetida are boiled together, until the vegetables are half-cooked. After the vegetables are half cooked, the lentils are added and allowed to cook until the vegetables are done. Sambar is garnished with fresh curry leaves or coriander leaves. Mustard seeds, black gram, and dried red chillies, and curry leaves tempered in vegetable oil is added to the cooked sambar.

Amongst many varieties of sambhar, Drumstick Sambhar happens to be my all time favorite. The only veggie along with shallots that goes in it is the drunm stick. The tender, juicy drumstick leaves an amazing flavor to the tangy lentil… the best part here is that the more you chew the stick, the more flavorful it turns. A perfect Drunstick Sambhar teamed up with a plate of hot and steaming rice is a divine thing to have.


Print Recipe
DRUMSTICK SAMBHAR
Course side dish
Cuisine kerala
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
helping
Ingredients
For Tempering :
Course side dish
Cuisine kerala
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
helping
Ingredients
For Tempering :
Instructions
  1. Wash and cut drumsticks in 2-3 inches long pieces.
  2. Boil water and pressure cook the dal with turmeric, tomatoes and salt.
  3. Separate the cooked dal and water, and keep them aside.
  4. Saute the shallots and drumsticks in 2 tbsp oil.
  5. Add little water to the vegetables and let them cook in low flame for few minutes. You can also use the left over water from dal for cooking veggies. Also add few curry leaves while cooking. It will give amazing aroma to the vegetables.
  6. Meanwhile soak tamarind in hot water and get the pulp out of it. Remove seeds if any.
  7. Once the shallots and drumsticks are cooked , add dal and mix all well. You may add little water if you find dal too thick. Bring it to boil.
  8. Slowly add sambhar powder and stir nicely. Break lumps if formed. Make sure the sambhar powder should get incorporated nicely.
  9. Close the lid and let it cook for few more minutes.
  10. This is when you have to adjust salt too. Be careful while checking salt as you had already added it while boiling dal.
  11. Now start adding tamarind pulp from one side and keep stirring. Keep checking as per your required taste.
  12. Give another boil to it.
  13. Take a frying pan and prepare the tempering. For that heat oil, add mustard seeds, hing, whole red chillies and few curry leaves. Fry them and add to the sambhar. Turn off the gas and close the lid immediately so that the aroma remains intact.
  14. Serve Hot with plain rice and papad.
Recipe Notes

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