Sambar is an South Indian lentil delicacy. Sambar/Sambhar/Sambaaru is an perfect side dish with steaming hot Idli/Dosa/Vada. Each south Indian state has its own recipe for sambar. Shallots enhance the flavour of this lentil based stew. Shallot is a relative of the onion, and tastes bit like an onion with sweet and mild flavours. Shallots are a rich source of vitamin A, B and E, they are low in fat. Shallots are a good source of potassium which is important for maintenance of stable blood pressure and they are low in sodium. When sweet and mild flavour of shallot mix up with tangy tamarind along with nutty and easily digestible tuvar dal with aromatic seasoning the result is dainty. Here comes a very easy and most often prepared sambar recipe from my kitchen.
Shallot Sambar
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup Tuvar Dal/Red gram/ Kandi pappu
- 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
- 5-6 Shallots/baby Onions, peeled
- 2 Green chillis, slit length-wise and deseeded
- 3 tbsp Tamarind extract *
- 2 tbsp Sambar powder *
- 1 tbsp fresh Coconut pieces
- 1 tbsp Red chilli powder
- 1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder
- Salt
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 6-9 Curry leaves
- 1 dry Red chilli
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida/Hing/Inguva
- Oil
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Wash and pressure cook toovar dal with a drop of oil. When dal gets cooked mash with wooden smasher and set aside.
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Heat oil in a kadai or heavy bottom vessel and add the ingredients listed under ‘tempering‘ one by one. Once they change color add chopped tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, green chillis.
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Cook till tomatoes are soft and add tamarind extract. Now add shallots, cover and cook till they are soft. Now add mashed dal, sambar powder, coconut pieces and water. Cook till you get the desired consistency.
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Last but not least add your ‘love’ to make the dish ‘YUMMY’.
NOTE: Wash and soak lemon sized tamarind ball in luke warm water to get extract. I used MTR brand Sambar powder.
Sanghi says
Mmm.. delicious sambar. Good one Lubna..! Send entries which constitute tomatoes as the main ingredient da. Anyway wil count this too.. Keep it up :))
Dershana says
I love small onion sambhar!
Sonal says
hi lubna,i started preparing rasam at home with your recipe , which is now a must have in my family…. and now sambar :).great going..Sonal
Zee says
Sambar yummmmm…easy to make tasty to devour…I can slurp a bowl just like that..:)
Chitra says
wow,,that looks great lubna..i love to try different sambhars as sidedish for idly/dosa.will try with MTR pwd and let u know:)nice post for the event dear..
rekhas kitchen says
hummm sambar looks so yum all time fav.
Lakshmi Venkatesh says
Chinna Vengayam Sambhar is one of my favourites.
Priya says
I love sambar much, its a real comfort food na, with papads its really a divine..
Madhumathi says
Sambar is looking nice 🙂
Shama Nagarajan says
lovely sambar…delicious
Varunavi says
Yummy sambar.goes well with hot idlies.I make this only when i do idlies.
Fitri says
I never try Sambar, but yours look so yummy..
Asha says
Don’t do this to me KF, I am on Rasam only diet today. That sambhar looks delicious! 🙂
Ashwini says
COmfort food..perfect with hot rice and papad on side..:-)
Ushanandini says
vengayam sambar ……yummy! Nice color! Looks ready for idlis!!
pooja says
Sambar with shallots…wow it tastes great…..Looking lovely lubna..
homecooked says
Wow…the sambhar looks really yummy! Love the colour of the sambhar.
Malar Gandhi says
Love lots of onions in my sambar too. Shallots make it perfect, right.
Deepa Hari says
Lovely sambar Lubna…shallots add a nice flavor to it…Nice pics.
Varsha Vipins says
Oh..pls don tempt me with that Sambar again..You know am a lazy bum..:DCocnut pieces is a new addition to me Lubna..cant stop drooling..:)
srikars kitchen says
Delicious sambar.. looks yummy.. nice sambar..
Poornima Nair says
Good one Lubna…shallots always give Sambar an amazing flovour.
Food says
mmmy i love sambhar. never tried it with shallots. i guess th might make it slightly sweeter? u shud be local luba coz ur recipes tempt me :D:D
Cham says
Great for idlis or dosa! Delicous looking sambar
Mahimaa's kitchen says
perfect dish for the event…looks nice and love the color of sambar.
VG says
I love sambar especially with dosai and coconut chutney! Finger licking good.
Priti says
Ummm gud one..samhar looks delicious
Natashya says
Your dishes are always so healthy and delicious looking!
vidhas says
Lovley sambhar. Feel like having with rice or dosa. Thanks for dropping in Janani’s blog, she felt great.
Preety says
hey one dish in so many events..good one dear
Arfi Binsted says
sambar… my mind drops to ‘sambal’ in Indonesian which means hot chili paste. but of course, they are different things hehehehe…
Cynthia says
Totally satisfying I imagine.
DEESHA says
This one is an all time fave . looks delicious
Swapna Pravin says
Sambar is my all time comfort food. Nice dish to include our fav vegetables & cook 🙂
Ramya Bala says
My favorite sambhar…Superb post
meeso says
Yum, I like your version… Looks great!
Burp and Slurp~! says
this would be so, so, good with some good naan. thanks for the recipe!
Trupti says
love any type of sambar..sambar looks very delicious
Gita's Kitchen says
I love shallots sambar, lovely color Lubna…
Varunavi says
Hi,u have something for u on my blog,pls collect it
notyet100 says
lovely recipe,..new for me,.:-)wishu happy womens international day,..:-)
Lavi says
I always use Shallots in sambhar..I love using MTR sambhar powder..its a unique taste!
Nazarina A says
The color and the ingredients of your sambar are so scrumptious looking!!!
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Sanghi, Dershana, Sonal, Zee, Chitra, Homecooked, Rekha, Lakshmi, Priya, Madhumati, Shama, Varunavi, Fitri, Asha, Ashwini, Usha, Pooja, Malar, Deepa, Cham, Varsha, Srikar, Poornima, Food, Mahimaa, VG, Priti, Nataysha, Vidhas, Priti, Arfi, Cynthia, Deesha, Swapna, Ramya, Meeso, Sophia, Trupti, Gita, Priyanka, Lavi and Nazarina.
Kitchen Flavours says
Iam on my way dear Varunavi.