I haven’t seen anyone who doesn’t enjoy a nice, warm, and flavourful bowl of sambar. It is pleasantly spicy and sour and feels so comforting, especially with some warm steamed rice. And I feel that it is the perfect recipe to include some protein-rich lentils (dal) and nutritious veggies in your diet. Everything is mixed together and makes this gem of a recipe. Also, it is one of the best recipes to finish the veggies that are lying in your refrigerator. Pair it with some steamed rice, idli, vada, or masala dosa for a delightful meal.
For more dinner recipes, you must check out – Dalia Pulao, Vegan Pad Thai Noodles, and Chickpea Pulao.
Story Time
One thing I can say very proudly is that I make tasty sambar and I can prove it with plenty of my sambar stories.
I have a friend and once she came over to our home for dinner. I decided to make idli, sambar, and chutney for her. When we were serving, she said that she doesn’t like sambar and only eats idlis with chutney. Then we started eating. After a while, she took the second serving of sambar and told us that she never had a second serving of sambar, ever. Even she was surprised by that. She also said that generally finishing just one bowl of sambar becomes a task for her. I was happy that she enjoyed the sambar which I made for her.
Also, once my in-laws including my grandmother-in-law visited us in Pune. I made the same menu for them – idli, sambar, and chutney. And Jatin’s grandmother hardly appreciates anyone’s food. But she loved my idli sambar. We all were so happy and she even claimed that I cook good food. It was a big thing for all of us 😀 She even said that to other relatives in the family. Yay.
So, now you know that my sambar is something to try. C’mon. Try it today.
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What is sambar?
Sambar is a popular South Indian vegetarian (or vegan) recipe that is made with Toor dal (Arhar dal) and a mix of different veggies like bottle gourd (lauki), eggplant, drumstick, tomato, onion, etc. It is then tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chili, and sambar masala. One special ingredient that is added to it is tamarind paste. It adds a nice sour flavor to this recipe and makes it tastier.
It is often served with steamed rice, idli, dosa, vada, etc.
How to store sambar?
You can store sambar in an air-tight container and refrigerate it. Consume it within 2 days.
You can even freeze it for up to a month. Do not add coriander leaves. While serving, heat it well and then garnish it with some fresh coriander leaves. Although, I never tried freezing it since I prefer to make it fresh.
How to serve sambar?
Sambar is a cooked dal recipe with some veggies and tempering in it. It can be served with the following:
- Steamed Rice
- Idli
- Dosa
- Vada
- Idiyappam
- Lemon Rice
- Appe
- Uttapam
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes. Of course. All the ingredients used in this recipe are vegan and plant-based.
More Indian vegan recipes to try – Misal Pav, Seviyan, Vegan Dum Biryani.
Easy Swaps
- Moong Dal: I mostly make this recipe using moong dal but you can even use Toor dal or dhuli masoor dal (orange dal) for this recipe.
- Tamarind Paste: The sourness of tamarind is different from the sourness that you get from amchoor powder (dry mango powder) or lemon juice. But it is all up to you. You can replace tamarind paste with lemon juice or amchoor powder.
- Veggies: Use any vegetable that you have in your kitchen.
More South Indian recipes to try
Now we are all ready to make this deliciously simple and comforting meal – Sambar. It is a nourishing bowl of happiness. Make it over lunch or for a delightful brunch. Make a little extra so that you can have it the other day too.
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Happy Cooking 🙂
Love from us
Richa & Jatin
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