Sambar

Name: Sambar
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 50 g toor dal (split pigeon peas); 430 ml water; 0.25 tsp ground turmeric; 10 g tamarind; 40 g shallots; 60 g drumstick (moringa pod); 40 g carrot; 60 g tomato; 1.5 tsp sambar powder; 3 g jaggery; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp asafoetida; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 0.5 tsp black mustard seeds; 0.25 tsp fenugreek seeds; 1 dried red chilli; 6 curry leaves; 1 tbsp coriander leaves

A South Indian lentil and vegetable stew, soured with tamarind and spiced with sambar powder, finished with a mustard seed and curry leaf tempering. Eaten with hot rice or idli.

Mains Under 400 kcal

50 min15 prep · 35 cookMedium275 kcalper serving

Instructions

Rinse 50 g of toor dal in two or three changes of water until it runs clear. Put it in a pressure cooker with 200 ml of water and 0.25 tsp of ground turmeric, close the lid and cook on medium heat for 12 minutes (4-5 whistles). Let the pressure drop by itself, then whisk the dal to a smooth, pourable purée. (In a pan, simmer covered for 40 minutes instead.)
While the dal cooks, soak 10 g of tamarind in 80 ml of hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pulp between your fingers until the water is thick and brown, then strain through a sieve, pressing hard, and discard the fibres.
In a heavy saucepan bring 150 ml of water to the boil with 0.5 tsp of salt. Add 40 g of halved shallots, 60 g of drumstick and 40 g of carrot, cover and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the carrot is just tender and the drumstick flesh is soft. Add 60 g of tomato wedges and cook 3 minutes more, until slumped but not disintegrated.