South Indian staple · Tangy and spicy
Sambar Recipe (South Indian Lentil Vegetable Stew)
Soft dal. Tamarind boil. Fresh tempering.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenSambar is a tangy lentil and vegetable stew flavoured with tamarind and sambar powder. It tastes raw when the tamarind is not boiled long enough, or flat with stale powder. The fix is boiling the vegetables in tamarind water until the raw smell goes, using fresh sambar powder and finishing with a sizzling tempering.
The 3 laws of sambar
Why this recipe works
Raw tamarind
Removes the raw smell.
Stale powder
The main flavour.
Skip it
Mustard and curry leaves finish it.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Sambar
Tempering
The NineFoods sambar gauge
Is the tamarind cooked out?
Smell and taste the tamarind water with vegetables.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Vegetables in tamarind
- Boil vegetables and onion in tamarind water with turmeric and salt.
- Use the gauge above.
Add dal and powder
- Add mashed dal, sambar powder and jaggery.
- Simmer until it thickens slightly.
Tempering
- Crackle mustard, fenugreek, chillies, hing and curry leaves.
- Pour over sambar and add coriander.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Not boiled.
Fix next time
Boil vegetables in tamarind water until mellow.
Why
Stale sambar powder.
Fix next time
Use fresh or homemade powder.
Why
Little dal.
Fix next time
Add more mashed dal.
Why
Too much tamarind.
Fix next time
Add jaggery.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Toor dal | Body | Masoor dal |
| Tamarind | Tang | Tomatoes, cooked down |
| Sambar powder | Spice | Homemade: roast coriander, chana dal, chillies, fenugreek |
| Drumstick | Classic vegetable | Any firm vegetable |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Idli, dosa, vada or rice with ghee.
Store
Fridge 3 days.
Reheat
Add water and bring to a simmer.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the tamarind cooked out) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Sambar FAQ
What vegetables go in sambar?
Drumstick, pumpkin, okra, aubergine, carrot and shallots are classics.
Can I make sambar without tamarind?
Yes, use extra tomatoes for tang.
What is in sambar powder?
Coriander, chillies, chana and urad dal, fenugreek, cumin and pepper.
Is sambar vegan?
Yes, when tempered in oil.