About the Recipe
Hotel-style sambar is a South Indian lentil-based stew bursting with flavor and fragrant with aromatic spices, and it's generously loaded with a medley of vegetables. This delightful dish is a favored accompaniment for idli, dosa, or steamed rice. Below, you'll find a recipe to prepare this delectable hotel-style sambar right in your own kitchen:
Ingredients
Ingredients:
For Sambar:
1/2 cup toor dal (pigeon pea lentils)
1 small lemon-sized tamarind ball
2 cups mixed vegetables (such as drumsticks, okra, eggplant, carrots, and beans)
5-10 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tomato, finely chopped
2-3 green chilies, slit
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
2-3 tbsp sambar powder (store-bought or homemade)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
Salt to taste
Total 4 tbsp coconut oil
Water
For Tempering (Tadka):
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
10-12 curry leaves
2-3 dry red chilies, broken
Preparation
Instructions:
Prepare the Dal:
Wash the toor dal and pressure cook it with sufficient water, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp of turmeric until it becomes soft and mushy (approximately 3-4 whistles). Mash the cooked dal and set it aside.
Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp, and discard the solid parts.
In a separate pot, cook the mixed vegetables in water until they become tender. Drain and set them aside.
In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Add thinly sliced shallots and green chilies. Sauté until the shallots turn translucent. Incorporate the finely chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
Add the sambar powder, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Now, introduce the tamarind pulp and blend it thoroughly. Cook until the raw aroma of tamarind dissipates.
Add the cooked and mashed toor dal to the pot, along with the cooked vegetables. Mix the contents thoroughly. Adjust the consistency by adding water; the sambar should be neither too thick nor too thin. Stir well.
Allow the sambar to simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat, enabling the flavors to harmonize. Adjust the seasoning with salt to your taste.
In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil for tempering. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, and let them splutter. Incorporate a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, and broken red chilies. Sauté for a minute or two.Pour the prepared tempering over the sambar and stir well.
Your hotel-style sambar is now ready to delight your taste buds. It complements idli, dosa, or steamed rice beautifully.
Feel free to personalize the vegetable selection and spice level according to your preferences. This hotel-style sambar is a delectable and nourishing dish, guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for authentic South Indian cuisine.