Sambar is a traditional South Indian curry. It is prepared using dal, vegetables and tamarind juice and sambar masala. There are different styles of preparing sambar. Every household has its own method of preparing sambar.

Today I am posting Sambar prepared in one of the Andhra styles. This recipe was passed to me by your neighbor Mrs. Devi. In this curry we use spices to prepare sambar masala. This Sambar has a nice aroma and flavor.

So please try this special sambar and give us feedback.

Ingredients:

Toor dal                                                ½ cup

Vegetables:

Carrot                                                   1

Potato                                                  2

Brinjal                                                   2

Onion                                                    1

Pumpkin                                              ½ cup

Drumsticks                                          1

Turmeric powder                             ¼ tsp

Jaggery or sugar (optional)          1 -2 tsp

Red chilli powder                             ½ tsp

Green chillies                                     8

Tomatoes                                            2

Tamarind                                             small lemon- sized

Salt to taste

For grinding:

Coriander seeds                                               2 tsp

Dry red chilli                                       2

Black pepper corns                          7

Cloves                                                   3

Dal chini (patta)                                                3

Elachi (cardamom)                           3

For seasoning:

Oil                                                           2 tsp

Mustard seeds                                  1 tsp

Jeera/cumin seeds                          1 tsp

Curry leaves                                       2 springs

Dry red chili                                        2

Hing/asteofida                                  2 pinch

Garlic (crushed)                                                5

For garnishing:

Coriander leaves                              1 tbsp

Method:

1. Clean and wash the dal.
2. In a pressure cooker add dal and 2 cups of water and cook on high flame till 1^st whistle then reduce the flame to low and cook for 5 minutes. Put off the flame.
3. Put pan on medium flame and dry roast dal chini, cloves, elachi, coriander seeds and dry red chillies till it changes its color. Keep stirring continuously. Put off the flame. You get a nice aroma. Allow it to cool. When cool grind it into a fine powder. Keep it aside.
4. Peel and wash the vegetables. Chop the vegetables.
5. In a vessel add all the chopped vegetables with green chilies and enough water, turmeric powder and salt and allow it to boil on high flame. Reduce the flame to low and close the lid. Cook till the vegetables are cooked.
6. Now add tomatoes and stir well. Allow it to cook for 2 minutes on medium flame.
7. Meanwhile soak the tamarind for 5 – 10 minutes in ½ cup of water. Squeeze the tamarind juice.
8. Add the tamarind juice to the curry and boil it till the raw smell disappears.
9. Add the ground sambar powder and boil for another 2 – 3 minutes on medium flame. Add 1 tsp of jaggery or 1 tsp of sugar. Keep stirring otherwise it may get burnt at the bottom. Put off the flame. Add coriander leaves.
10. Add oil to the pan for seasoning. Add mustard seeds and jeera seeds when it splutters. Add crushed garlic and sauté. Now add curry leaves and broken red dry chillies and sauté. Add 2 pinch of hing and sauté. Put off the flame.
11. Add this seasoning to the curry.

Andhra Style Sambar is ready.

Note:

• U can add vegetables of your choice.

Do refer for more Sambar recipes:

KERALA STYLE SAMBAR

METHI LEAVES SAMBAR

EASY AND QUICK SAMBAR