Kerala Sambhar is a South Indian gravy made with lentils and vegetables. This curry forms an important dish for Onam and Vishu Sadya.
Some of my friends use homemade sambhar powder but I am not an expert in that, I always use ‘Brahmins’ sambhar powder. Sambhar is made slightly differently in different parts of South India. Any vegetable can be used for this curry but I love to make it with lots of vegetables making it a healthy option for my children. It’s a perfect combo for idlis, dosas and also rice.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups Mixed Vegetables cut into medium sized pieces (I’ve used 1 potato, 1 carrot, 2 drumsticks, 1/2 plantain, 1 tomato , 5 beans and a few pieces of brinjal)
- ½ cup Sambhar Parippu / Tuvara Parippu/ Dal
- 1 medium Sliced Onion
- 2 nos. Green chillies, slit
- ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
- Tamarind, gooseberry sized ball
- 2 tsp. Coriander leaves, chopped
- 3 tbsp. Sambhar Powder
- ½ tsp. Mustard Seeds
- 2 nos. Red Chillies
- Curry Leaves, a sprig
- ¼ cup Shallots or Pearl Onions, diced
- Asafoetida, a pinch
- 3 tbsp. Oil
- Water, as needed
- Salt, as needed
Method
- In a pressure cooker, add the diced vegetables and dal along with salt and 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder and cover the pan and pressure cook on medium flame up to 2 whistles. (For pressure cooking, add enough water so as to cover the vegetables)
- Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for some time, squeeze and take the extract from it. Keep aside.
- When the dal and vegetables are done, remove the lid of the pressure cooker and add in the tamarind juice. Stir and simmer on low flame for some more time and add more salt if needed.
- Mix in the sambhar powder and boil for 2 minutes on low flame.
- Add chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle asafoetida powder and simmer for 2 more minutes. Remove from flame and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a wok and allow mustard seeds to splutter.
- Add shallots, red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
- Now pour the sambhar to the wok and mix well for a few minutes. Remove from flame and keep aside.
