Making sambar powder

• Roast all the sambar powder ingredients seperately on low flame.
• Keep aside to cool.
• Grind to fine powder.

How to make Sambar Recipe South Indian Recipe Step by step instructions

Main ingredients for onion sambar

• Toor dal – 1 small cup
• Tamarind – a lime sized ball
• Onions 2 medium sized, chopped
• Tomatoes – 2 medium sized, chopped
• Curry leaves – a sprig.
• Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp chopped.
• Salt – 1 tea spoon or to taste.
• Water – 3-4 cups.
• Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped – 1 tbsp

Optional ingredients

• Jaggery – 1/2 tsp or according to taste.
• Fresh grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Ingredients for tempering:

• Oil + ghee – 1 tsp each
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Asafoetida – 1 pinch
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon.

Making sambar

• Soak tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for about 15 minutes. Squeeze tamarind and get pulp.
  
• You may use the pulp according to the sourness you like.
• Wash 1 small cup toor dal and cook it in 1 1/2 cups water till it is soft. You may cook it on the stove top in a pot/pan. Or use a separator in the pressure cooker for toor dal when you cook rice.
  
• I usually use pressure cooker as it is faster.
• Mash toordal using the back of a ladle or a potato masher. You may use a blender if you wish. Or you may just mash it up using your hand.
  
• Heat vegetable oil/ghee in a deep thick bottom vessel or pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start spluttering add curry leaves.
  
• Add hing/asafetida and turmeric powder. Add chopped onion and stir fry for a minute or till onion turns translucent.
  
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes become soft.
  
• Add a cup of water after tomatoes are cooked. Add sambar powder. Mix and bring to boil. Let boil for about 5 minutes on low flame.
  
• After 5 minutes, add cooked and mashed toor dal. Add salt and some tamarind juice/pulp (according to your taste). Add jaggery now if adding.
  
• Mix well. Add more water if sambar looks too thick. Add water if you want the consistency thin and continue boiling for another 5 minutes.
  
• Add chopped coriander leaves and switch off. Keep covered till serving time.
  
• Sambar is ready to serve with dosa, Rava Idli , Rice.
• Enjoy

Tips and variations for Sambar

• I have used onions and tomatoes in this sambar recipe. This is a favorite combination in my home.
• You may use small onions/shallots, known as sambar onion or Madras onion.
• You may also use some other vegetables such as potatoes, brinjals, green beans, carrots, okra(ladies finger) etc. instead of or along with onions and tomatoes.
• Store leftover sambar in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just reheat and serve.