How to make sambar-Stovetop and Instant Pot method

Sambar–a flavorful, hearty dish that has been perfected over generations and is cherished as a staple in South Indian households and restaurants around the world. In this post, as a South Indian, I will show you how to make the perfect lip-smacking sambar recipe with step-wise instructions. I have also included Instant Pot method instructions. 

What is Sambar

Sambar is a blend of toor dal (split pigeon pea lentils), an assortment of vegetables such as drumsticks, okra, pumpkin, potato, and eggplant, tamarind paste, and a mix of spices and herbs. What sets South Indian sambar apart from its counterparts is the distinctive use of sambar powder, a spice blend containing ingredients like coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chilies, and asafoetida, which imparts a unique and robust flavor. 

This sambar is different from my Kerala-style varutharacha sambar as we don’t use coconut in this recipe. 

How to make pumpkin-drumstick sambar recipe

Ingredients used

Stove Top Method

Pressure cook toor dal on the stove top pressure cooker till 3 whistles. Keep aside. Soak tamarind in ¼  cup water. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add methi seeds. When it turns golden brown add onions, green chili, and saute. When onion turns golden add tomato, drumstick, pumpkin, and eggplant. Cover and cook for a minute. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, sambar powder, and asafoetida. Stir well and cook until tomatoes turn mushy. Add cooked toor dal along with the required amount of water and boil it until the veggies are cooked. When veggies are cooked add tamarind extract. Add salt and let it boil till the raw smell goes. Turn off the stove. Heat oil and ghee in another pan. Temper all the ingredients under ‘to temper’ and add to the sambar. 

Instant Pot Method

In the Instant Pot method, press the saute’ button and add oil. Add methi seeds, and add onions, and green chili, and saute. When the onion turns golden, add drumstick, pumpkin, tomato, dal, and all the spice powders. Add 1 cup water or until the vegetables submerge. Cover the Instant Pot with a lid. Press the cancel button and then pressure cook for 8 minutes. Once it is cooked, quick release the pressure. Open the lid, press saute button, and add tamarind extract. Add the required salt. Let it boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes. Temper the ingredients under  ‘to temper’  in another pan and add to the sambar.

What to serve with sambar

Usually, sambar is served along with rice, idli, dosa, or uthappam. Recently, on Instagram, I have seen people having sambar as soup which you can as it is loaded with protein and vitamins.

Need more curry recipes

Okra curry

Raw mango drumstick curry

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi curry

Ulli Theeyal

Green gram curry

For more tips and details on curry recipes, check out Indian curry recipes.

Sambar recipe with step-wise instructions

Ingredients

Toor dal – 1/2 cup

Drumstick – 1 chopped small pieces

Pumpkin – ½ cup chopped cubes

Eggplant – 2 cubed

Onion – 1 medium-sized chopped

Tomato – 1 chopped

Tamarind – small lemon-sized

Green chillies – 2 cut lengthwise

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Sambar powder – 2 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

Methi seeds – less than 1/4tsp

Salt – as required

To temper

Oil – 2 tsp

Ghee – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Jeera – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves –  few

Coriander leaves – few

Method

Stovetop

• Pressure cook toor dal on the stove top pressure cooker till 3 whistles. Keep aside.
• Soak tamarind in ¼  cup water.
• Heat 1tsp of oil in a pan and add methi seeds.
• When it turns golden brown add onions, green chili, and saute.
• When onion turns golden add drumstick and pumpkin. Cover and cook for a minute.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, sambar powder, and asafoetida.
• Stir well and cook until tomatoes turn mushy. (If needed add a little amount of water)
• Add cooked toor dal along with the required amount of water and boil it until the veggies are cooked.
• When veggies are cooked add tamarind extract. Add salt and let it boil till the raw smell goes. Turn off the stove.
• Heat oil and ghee in another pan. Temper all the ingredients under ‘to temper’ and add to the sambar.
• Serve hot with rice, idli, dosa, or uthapam.

Instant Pot 

• In the Instant Pot method, press the saute’ button and add oil. 
• Add methi seeds, and add onions, and green chili, and saute. 
• When onion turns golden add drumstick, pumpkin, tomato, dal, and all the spice powders. Add 1 cup water or until the vegetables submerge. 
• Cover the Instant Pot with a lid. Press the cancel button and then pressure cook for 8 minutes. 
• Once it is cooked, quick release the pressure. Open the lid press saute button and add tamarind extract. Add the required salt.
•  Let it boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes. 
• Temper the ingredients under  ‘to temper’  in another pan and add to the sambar.

Notes

1. You can add 1/4 cup toor dal and 1/4 cup masoor dal.
2. Adjust the spice level according to your taste.
3. If you are using ready-to-use tamarind paste, add ½  tablespoon. 
4. You can use veggies like carrots, potatoes, and ash gourd.
5. To make it vegan, just skip ghee and just add oil.

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