Easy Sambar Recipe | Authentic South Indian Sambar
South Indian Sambar
Comforting mixed-vegetable sambar with toor dal and classic tempering
Authentic South Indian sambar — toor dal pressure-cooked with mixed vegetables, tamarind, and sambar powder, then finished with a mustard seed, curry leaf and dried red chilli tempering. Hearty with rice, idli, or dosa.
Ingredients
Dal & Vegetables
- 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas), rinsed
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small brinjal (eggplant), chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 small capsicum, chopped
- Small piece tamarind (or 1 tbsp tamarind paste)
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 small piece ginger, crushed
- 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 5 cups water
Tempering & Spices
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
- A few curry leaves
- 2 tbsp sambar powder
Instructions
- Prep vegetables. Wash and chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Crush the ginger and garlic.
- Pressure-cook. Add the toor dal, vegetables, tamarind, salt, and water to a pressure cooker. Cook on medium heat until the dal and vegetables are soft (about 4–5 whistles, or until tender).
- Temper. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, dried red chillies, and curry leaves. When the mustard crackles, pour the tempering into the sambar.
- Simmer with sambar powder. Stir in the sambar powder and boil gently for about 10 minutes until fragrant and well combined. Adjust consistency with water if needed.
- Serve. Serve hot with steamed rice, idli, or dosa.
Pro tip: Add the sambar powder after the dal is cooked and finish with a fresh tempering — boiling briefly helps the spices bloom without turning bitter.
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