Sambar

RecipenKitchen Recipe 1 h 5 min · Serves 6 · Indian

Why make it A tangy, gently spiced South Indian lentil and vegetable stew finished with a sizzling mustard and curry leaf tempering. Serve it with rice, idli or dosa for an easy everyday lunch.

You’ll need

Serves 6 200 g toor dal (arhar), rinsed until the water runs almost… ½ tsp ground turmeric 750 ml water, for cooking the dal 30 g tamarind pulp (imli), a lime-sized piece 250 ml hot water, for soaking the tamarind 1 medium carrot, cut into 2 cm pieces 150 g pumpkin or bottle gourd, peeled and cut into 2 cm cub… 150 g brinjal (small eggplant), cut into 3 cm wedges + 13 more in the full recipe

1 Step 1 of 9 Break the tamarind into a small bowl, pour over the hot water and leave it to soften. Meanwhile, rinse the dal.

2 Step 2 of 9 Put the dal, turmeric and 750 ml water in a pressure cooker with 1 tsp of the oil. Cook for 3 whistles on medium heat, then let the pressure release naturally. In a covered pot, simmer for about 40 minutes instead, until complete…

3 Step 3 of 9 While the dal cooks, cut the vegetables. Squeeze the softened tamarind with your fingers, then strain the liquid into a jug and discard the fibres and seeds.

4 Step 4 of 9 Open the cooker and mash the dal with a whisk or masher until thick and mostly smooth. It should look creamy, with no whole lentils left.

5 Step 5 of 9 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onion and green chillies for 3 minutes until the onion turns translucent at the edges. The last 4 steps are in the full recipe.

Cook’s tip Soak and strain the tamarind rather than using a spoonful of paste if you can; the flavour is rounder and less harsh.

Sambar

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