Sambar Recipe, How to make Tangy Sambar | Quick Sambar Recipe

March 16, 2015

When we are talking about South Indian cuisine, first thing comes in my mind about yummy tangy "Sambar". It is an easy and quick method to make Sambar. This Sambar recipe is one of the most loved dishes in South Indian cuisine.

In this Sambar recipe, I used sambar powder, arhar dal with desi indian style tadka. I like simple sambar not vegetable one even my husband likes this style of sambar with less vegetable, it's simple but too delicious !!!

This recipe is one of my family and mine favourite recipe and whenever I made it, I received lots of Lovely comments from my friends and family :) which I just loved it :D :) You can serve it with rice, maida dosa and simple veggie biryani

This recipe will not take too much time, it's easy and jhatpat recipe. You can make Leftover Sambar Paratha from this sambar. Let's start the process of making sambar step by step method.

This is very popular dal in India, very easy and tasty recipe too. If you are looking for more dal recipes then do check
dal fry dal makhani moong-masoor di dal maa chole di dal

Let's start to make this easy and quick tangy sambar recipe with simple step-by-step process with pictures.

Ingredients

for coking the arhar dal

Tuvar or arhar dal/pigeon pea lentils - 1 cup
Sambar powder - 1 to 2 tbsp (optional)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric/haldi powder - 1/2 tsp
Water for pressure cooking the dal - 1.5 to 2 cups
Salt as required
2 cups water to be added later

for the tempering (tadka)

Oil - 3 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 2 to 3
Mustard seeds/rai - 1 tsp
Asafoetida/hing - a pinch
Sliced Onions - 1 no (large)
Finely chopped tomato - 1 no (large)
Curry leaves - 8 to 10

Seedless tamarind/Imli - 1 tbsp soaked in ½ cup water

Note : Sambar uses tamarind pulp as it lends a subtle sour flavor and taste to it. So first to make the tamarind paste, take some warm water and soak the tamarind in it for 30 mins.

Preparation Method

1. Wash Toor dal and Pressure cook it till 4 whistles (add turmeric powder and salt), Mash it, see the consistency of dal in below pic and keep it aside.

For Tempering / Tadka

2. Now we can make tadka for Sambar. Heat oil in a Kadai/wok/cooker ( I use same utensils in which we boil dal for making tadka because while boiling dal they leave their aroma in the utensils).

3. Add mustard seeds, wait till they crackle, then add curry leaves, dry red chillies chillies, saute for few min, then add onions, fry till transparent because when you eat sambar, there is a crunchiness in the texture of onion.

4. Now add chopped tomatoes and Mix it well for few minutes till the tomatoes becomes soft.

5. Then add Tamarind juice, add Sambar powder, salt to taste and add boiled Tuvar dal, cook it. If dal is too thick, you can add water at this time and cook it well

*Note* - Once the tamarind gets soft, you then squeeze the tamarind and remove the pulp. Strain it here at this time.