Sambar
Great Curry Recipes recipe - Southern Indian
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 225g toor dhal (split pigeon pea lentils)
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 4 large chopped tomatoes
- 1 medium sized aubergine - cut into 1cm chunks
- 1 tablespoon ginger puree
- 1 green chilli pepper - chopped
- 50g fresh or frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt - or to taste
- FOR THE TARKA
- 60ml sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 20 fresh curry leaves
Instructions
- 1
Soak the split pigeon peas in hot water for 20 minutes.
- 2
Drain and rinse and then pour into a large saucepan.
- 3
Add 1 1/2 litres water and heat over high heat.
- 4
As you do this, a foam will raise to the top. Skim this off until no foam remains and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- 5
Simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft.
- 6
Add the chopped tomatoes and the ginger and green chilli and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes.
- 7
Now, using a hand held blender (or any blender) blend until creamy smooth. I do this for about five minutes.
- 8
Add the rest of the ingredients up to the tarka ingredients and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
- 9
Remove the sambar from the heat while you make your tarka.
- 10
In a small saucepan, heat the oil until hot but not yet boiling.
- 11
Toss in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, throw in the curry leaves and sprinkle in the asafoetida.
- 12
Very carefully, add this seasoned oil to the sambar. The oil may spit some so I do suggest standing back a little when you do this.
- 13
Stir in into the sambar and bring back up to heat.
- 14
Serve hot with dosas, idlis or even with crusty French bread.