Sambar recipe | Udupi sambar recipe with step-by-step pictures. Sambhar is a South Indian lentil and vegetable stew that tastes delicious with idlis, dosas, or plain steamed rice. This sambar recipe has the perfect balance of flavors, some heat along with tang and a hint of sweetness, just as we like it!
WHAT IS SAMBAR?
As mentioned above, sambar or sambhar/sambaar is a lentil and vegetable based, South Indian stew or soup.
Sometimes sambhar is made with a number of vegetables like drumstick, eggplant, bottle gourd, radish, pumpkin, okra etc and sometimes it is made with just one veggie along with the lentils. It is a perfect accompaniment to idlis (steamed rice cakes), dosa’s (crispy rice crepes), uttapam (pretty much an Indian version of pizza :p) or medu vada (savory Indian donuts :D) and the likes.
Each household and region in Southern India has their own way of making sambhar. Some sambhar recipes use homemade or store-bought sambhar masala, while some involve making a ground paste with coconut, lentils, and spices and that sambhar is known as arachuvitta sambar.
One of my favorite meals is plain steamed rice with piping hot sambhar, an omelette, some crunchy papad, and pickle. Thoroughly satisfying!
I l ove sambhar which has a good balance of mild heat and tang along with a bit of sweetness. This version is more of a Karnataka sambar recipe , the Udupi style sambar tends to have a hint of sweetness with the addition of jaggery. There are different types of sambar prepared differently across regions in the South, but I love this version the most!
When I started my culinary journey, I had quite a few futile attempts at nailing the perfect sambhar. My standard of comparison would obviously be with the sambhar served at my favorite and authentic South Indian, Udupi restaurant in Mumbai. It was a gorgeous orange color & had a perfect balance of all the elements. Since there is no sight of any South Indian restaurant in my vicinity here, I have learnt to make and perfect these delicacies over the years:)
SAMBAR INGREDIENTS
The main ingredients that go into making this stew are
- Toor Dal , though I use moong dal too at times. It works just as well.
- Mixed vegetables . You can add veggies of your choice, but I highly recommend adding drumstick veggie to your sambhar. It lends a very distinct taste! Or make sambar without vegetables, simply skip it if you have none at hand.
- Sambar masala is the most important ingredient that flavors the sambar. It is a spice blend of lentils and whole spices. If you aren’t using this masala you can make a freshly ground paste of coconut, lentils, and spices instead.
- Tamarind extract which helps in adding the required tang, adding jaggery is optional. But I feel it balances out all the elements really well.
- Besides these, you will need mustard seeds, methi seeds, curry leaves for the tempering and other basic spices to add flavor to the sambar.
HOW TO MAKE SAMBAR AT HOME?
- You start off by soaking the dal. Next, pressure cook the dal until it is soft. Mash the dal with the back of a ladle to make it smooth.
- At the same time, you start preparing the tempering and the veggies for the sambar.
- Add the tamarind extract, some jaggery, and the cooked whisked dal.
- Let everything simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to mingle.
Sharing my mum in law’s easy sambar recipe , which is perfect and delicious, just as I like it!
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE VEGETABLE SAMBAR | UDUPI SAMBAR
1.Wash the toor dal under running water, soak in sufficient water for about 30 minutes.
2.Transfer the drained toor dal to a pressure cooker, add 2 & 1/4 cups water along with salt to taste and turmeric powder. Pressure cook until soft and mushy. Whisk the dal to make it smooth (Do not blend).
3.Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, when it crackles add methi seeds.
4.Once the methi seeds turn brown, add red chillies, curry leaves & asafoetida.
5.Add the pearl onions, saute until translucent.
6.Next add in all the veggies, saute on medium heat for 5 minutes until tender yet firm.
7.Now add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder & sambhar masala. Saute the spices well for 2 more minutes, sprinkle little water if required to avoid the spices from burning and turning bitter.
8.Add 1 cup water, mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
9.Add in the churned dal, tamarind extract and jaggery, mix well. Let it boil for further 15-20 minutes. Add water if required. Stir occasionally.
10.Sprinkle cilantro, switch off the heat and serve hot with idli/dosa/uttapams or even plain steamed rice.
HOW TO MAKE SAMBAR?
Sambar Recipe | How To Make Sambar {Udupi Style}
Ingredients1x2x3x
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
- 3/4 cup toor/arhar dal split pigeon peas
- 300 grams mixed veggies, I used frozen sambhar veggie mix- drumsticks, bottle gourd, okra, tomatoes, eggplants
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 3-4 green chillies
- 3-4 dried chillies
- A sprig of curry leaves
- 1/2 cup pearl onions
- 1 tomato, diced finely
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 & 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp sambhar masala
- Lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup warm water, extract the pulp, strain, and use
- 1 tbsp grated jaggery/brown sugar, optional
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Wash the toor dal under running water, soak in sufficient water for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer the drained toor dal to a pressure cooker, add 2 & 1/4 cups water along with salt to taste and turmeric powder. Pressure cook until soft and mushy. Whisk the dal to make it smooth (Do not blend).
- Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. when it crackles add methi seeds.
- Once the methi seeds turn brown, add red chillies, green chilies, curry leaves & asafoetida.
- Add the pearl onions, saute until translucent.
- Next, add in all the veggies, saute on medium heat for 5 minutes until tender yet firm.
- Now add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder & sambhar masala. Saute the spices well for 2 more minutes, sprinkle little water if required to avoid the spices from burning and turning bitter.
- Add 1 cup water, mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the churned dal, tamarind extract, and jaggery, mix well. Let it boil for further 15-20 minutes. Add water if required. Stir occasionally.
- Sprinkle cilantro, switch off the heat and serve hot with idli /dosa/uttapams or even plain steamed rice.
I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your feedback with photos and suggestions to me at aromaticessence77@gmail.com
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Regards,
Freda
Sambar Recipe | How To Make Sambar {Udupi Style}
Ingredients
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
- 3/4 cup toor/arhar dal split pigeon peas
- 300 grams mixed veggies, I used frozen sambhar veggie mix- drumsticks, bottle gourd, okra, tomatoes, eggplants
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 3-4 green chillies
- 3-4 dried chillies
- A sprig of curry leaves
- 1/2 cup pearl onions
- 1 tomato, diced finely
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 & 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp sambhar masala
- Lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup warm water, extract the pulp, strain, and use
- 1 tbsp grated jaggery/brown sugar, optional
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Wash the toor dal under running water, soak in sufficient water for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer the drained toor dal to a pressure cooker, add 2 & 1/4 cups water along with salt to taste and turmeric powder. Pressure cook until soft and mushy. Whisk the dal to make it smooth (Do not blend).
- Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. when it crackles add methi seeds.
- Once the methi seeds turn brown, add red chillies, green chilies, curry leaves & asafoetida.
- Add the pearl onions, saute until translucent.
- Next, add in all the veggies, saute on medium heat for 5 minutes until tender yet firm.
- Now add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder & sambhar masala. Saute the spices well for 2 more minutes, sprinkle little water if required to avoid the spices from burning and turning bitter.
- Add 1 cup water, mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the churned dal, tamarind extract, and jaggery, mix well. Let it boil for further 15-20 minutes. Add water if required. Stir occasionally.
- Sprinkle cilantro, switch off the heat and serve hot with idli /dosa/uttapams or even plain steamed rice.
Step-by-step recipe with pictures to make Goan prawn curry with drumsticks | Goan shrimp curry. Prawn and drumstick curry is a pretty traditional dish, prepared in most Goan households. This is the base for a basic fish/prawn curry. Then the addition of okra, drumsticks, raw mango etc simply adds a little extra flavor. Sharing my grandma’s recipe to make this classic Goan prawn curry!
Goan shrimp/prawn curry with drumsticks is one of my favorite curries. To me, a plate of red boiled rice and spoonfuls of this curry screams comfort food! The very aroma of this curry, bubbling away on the stovetop makes me want to dive into it as soon as it’s done, so delicious!
This is a pretty traditional dish, prepared in most Goan households. This is the base for a basic fish/prawn curry. Then the addition of okra, drumsticks, raw mango etc simply adds a little extra flavor.
This is an heirloom recipe, as it has been passed down from my late Grandma to my mom and now to me. I have also shared my Mum in law’s recipe for G oan prawn curry with lady fingers in my earlier posts, it is kind of similar to this with a bit of variation. You can find the recipe here , do give it a try as well. It is minimally spiced yet very flavorful!
So what’s in this curry? Coconut, dried red chilies, a few spices, and some tamarind, pretty much the core ingredients of most Goan curries. Once your ground masala paste is ready, this curry is done in about 20 mins, most of it is inactive time.
I remember my Grandma grinding this masala the traditional way on the masala stone grinder. The curry made that way, taste so much better, no modern appliance can beat that flavor. It’s all about how the cell walls of the ingredient’s break down whilst grinding as opposed to the same being ground in an electric mixer.
Well, with a busy lifestyle, no one has the time to take the trouble, but I’m sure it is still done in a lot of households. For me, it’s simply memories, I can still picture my Grandma grinding away the masala, so effortlessly, resulting in a pot of delicious curry to be devoured by all of us.
IF YOU LIKE THIS GOAN PRAWN CURRY WITH DRUMSTICKS, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE GOAN PRAWN CURRIES | GOAN PRAWN RECIPES
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE GOAN PRAWN CURRY WITH DRUMSTICKS | AUTHENTIC GOAN PRAWN CURRY RECIPE
HOW TO MAKE GOAN PRAWN CURRY WITH DRUMSTICKS?
Goan Prawn Curry With Drumsticks
Goan prawn curry with okra
Prawn and dudhi caldine
Verdur (Goan prawn and pumpkin curry)
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE GOAN PRAWN CURRY WITH DRUMSTICKS | AUTHENTIC GOAN PRAWN CURRY RECIPE
1.Shell & devein the shrimps, wash them well. Apply salt and set aside for 5 minutes.
2.Add grated coconut, Kashmiri chilies, cumin seeds, garlic, turmeric, coriander seeds, tamarind (remove the fibers and seeds) in a blender along with the roughly chopped onion. Grind to a smooth paste, using water as required.
3.Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot, add the ground masala paste, sauté for about 5 minutes on medium heat until it starts bubbling.
4.Rinse the grinder jar with about 1 & 1/2 to 2 cups water and add to the sauteed masala (You can add more or less water depending on desired thickness of gravy) mix well and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of sugar.
5.Now add drumsticks, cover and let it simmer for about 10 -15 minutes. Then add shrimps and let it cook until done, another 5 minutes. Check for seasonings, adjust with more salt or sugar. Serve with hot steamed rice or pav bread .
NOTES
- You may skip adding the onions in the paste, dice it finely and saute in little oil instead. Then add the ground paste and follow the rest of the recipe.
- Skip adding drumsticks for a plain Goan prawn curry .
HOW TO MAKE GOAN PRAWN CURRY WITH DRUMSTICKS?
Goan Prawn Curry With Drumsticks
Ingredients
Measuring cup used, 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
- 1/2 lb /approx 250 grams (10-12 large shrimps)
- 3 whole drumsticks, cut in 2-inch pieces ( I used frozen drumstick pieces)
- 5-6 dry red Kashmiri chilies
- 6 peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- Lime size ball tamarind
- A little more than 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped onions
- 1 tbsp oil, I prefer to use coconut oil
- Pinch of sugar, optional
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Shell & devein the shrimps, wash them well. Apply salt and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Add grated coconut, Kashmiri chilies, cumin seeds, garlic, turmeric, coriander seeds, tamarind (remove the fibers and seeds) in a blender along with the roughly chopped onion. Grind to a smooth paste, using water as required.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot, add the ground masala paste, sauté for about 5 minutes on medium heat until it starts bubbling.
- Rinse the grinder jar with about 1 & 1/2 to 2 cups water and add to the sauteed masala (You can add more or less water depending on desired thickness of gravy) mix well and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of sugar.
- Now add drumsticks, cover and let it simmer for about 10 -15 minutes. Then add shrimps and let it cook until done, another 5 minutes. Check for seasonings, adjust with more salt or sugar. Serve with hot steamed rice or pav bread .
Notes
- You may skip adding the onions in the paste, and dice it finely and saute in little oil instead. Then add the ground paste and follow the rest of the recipe.
- Skip adding drumsticks for a plain Goan prawn curry.
I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your feedback with photos and suggestions to me at aromaticessence77@gmail.com
You can also follow me on :
Regards,
Freda
