Kadamba Sambar

Recipe PREP 30 min COOK 30 min

Kadamba Sambar

PREP 30 min COOK 30 min

Description

For Tamils and South Indians like me, sambar is the ultimate comfort food. Some say this lentil-vegetable stew was created in Thanjavur’s royal kitchens. Regal or not, it’s loved by all and enjoyed with rice, idli, dosa, or vada. Packed with gut-friendly spices, protein-rich lentils, and fiber, sambar includes moringa for iron and B6, tamarind for heart health, and cold-pressed oils for preserved nutrients.


Equipment: Traditional pressure cooker

Note: You need about 2 cups (250 g) of mixed vegetables for this recipe. Feel free to mix things up by swapping any of the vegetables with your favorites. 

Ingredients

4 SERVES

For the Sambar

  • 3/4 cup (150 g) tur dal (split yellow peas), soaked for 30 minutes
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp cold-pressed gingelly (sesame) oil
  • A pinch of asafetida
  • ½ tsp black mustard seeds
  • A sprig of curry leaves
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • ½ cup (100 g) chopped yellow pumpkin
  • ½ cup (100 g) chopped onion
  • ½ cup (100 g) chopped carrot
  • ½ cup (100 g) chopped okra
  • 2 (50 g) drumsticks (moringa pods), cut into 2-inch batons
  • 2 Tbsp (30 g) sambar masala powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp tamarind paste

For the Tadka (Tempering)

  • 1 Tbsp gingelly (sesame) oil
  • ¼ tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1-2 dried Byadgi chiles
  • 1 sprig of curry leaves
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • A pinch of asafetida

Directions

  1. Step 1
    Drain the tur dal and cook in a traditional pressure cooker with 2 cups of water on high heat. After the first whistle, lower the heat, cook for 10 minutes, and turn off the heat. Wait for about 4 to 5 minutes for the residual pressure to release before you open the lid. Using a whisk, mash the dal and keep it aside.
  2. Step 2
    In a medium kadhai or saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the asafetida and mustard seeds, followed by the curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Temper the spices in the oil for 1 minute on medium heat. Once the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add the vegetables (pumpkin, onion, carrot, okra, and drumsticks) and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Step 3
    Mix in the sambar powder, 1 tsp of the salt, turmeric powder, and tamarind paste. Add 1 cup of water and cook the vegetables on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until fork tender.
  4. Step 4
    Once the vegetables and tamarind are cooked, mix in the cooked tur dal. Add 1 cup of water and continue to cook the vegetables and tur dal together on a gentle simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the tamarind loses its raw smell.
  5. Step 5
    Make the tempering: Heat oil in a small pan and add all the ingredients. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop and crackle — it takes about 30 seconds to a minute — take the pan off the heat and pour the tempering over the sambar. Serve hot.

Substitutions: If you don’t have a traditional pressure cooker, cook the lentils in an Instant Pot or a stock pot until completely soft. Any neutral vegetable oil can be substituted if gingelly oil is not available. 

Level Up: To prepare your own freshly ground sambar masala, toast the following spices in a small pan on medium heat: 4 dried red chiles (use Kashmiri or Byadgi for low heat and color, or Guntur for more heat), 1 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram), 2 tbsp coriander seeds, and ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds. Stir the ingredients continuously, but gently, to allow for even toasting, and take the spices off the heat as soon as the chana is a light golden brown. Allow the spices to cool and grind to a fine powder. This makes about 2 tbsp or 30 grams of masala.

Try It With: Serve the sambar hot with steamed rice and stir-fried potatoes, or try it with dosa, vada, or idli.

Photo by Thomas George

© 2025 Roundglass All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Terms of Use