Vegetable Sambar
By :Subhadra Burugula
Traditional South Indian Vegetable soup with lentils, it is a treat for the taste buds and must try for soup lovers. Generally served with Rice and curry, but can be drink as soup.
Votes: 8
Rating: 4.38
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Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Difficulty Difficult
Browse Category Soups, Stews & Broths
Duration 30-60 min
Diet Diabetes, Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian
Cooking Technique Multicooker, Pressure Cook
Main Ingredient Lentils, Vegetables
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
5-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 onion cubed
  • 1 serrano pepper quartered
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 big carrot diced
  • 1 small bottle gourd diced
  • 1 big tomato diced
  • 1 cup yellow lentils aka toor dal or pigeon peas
  • 1 small lime sized tamarind or concentrate 1 tbsp
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 4 cups Water or as needed for desired consistency
Spices
  • 1 tbsp red chili powder or to taste
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp sambar powder
Tempering Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp ghee ( vegans can substitute with oil of choice )
  • 7-8 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
  • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 15 leaves
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Difficulty Difficult
Browse Category Soups, Stews & Broths
Duration 30-60 min
Diet Diabetes, Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian
Cooking Technique Multicooker, Pressure Cook
Main Ingredient Lentils, Vegetables
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
5-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 onion cubed
  • 1 serrano pepper quartered
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 big carrot diced
  • 1 small bottle gourd diced
  • 1 big tomato diced
  • 1 cup yellow lentils aka toor dal or pigeon peas
  • 1 small lime sized tamarind or concentrate 1 tbsp
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 4 cups Water or as needed for desired consistency
Spices
  • 1 tbsp red chili powder or to taste
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp sambar powder
Tempering Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp ghee ( vegans can substitute with oil of choice )
  • 7-8 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
  • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves or 10 to 15 leaves
Votes: 8
Rating: 4.38
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Instructions
  1. Put the pot on saute mode high, fry the seranno pepper and onions in oil. Add veggies of choice and fry for a minute.
  2. Add the spices mentioned, water, lentils and tamarind extract and salt.
  3. Turn off Saute mode and put manual high for 12 minutes.
  4. Once natural pressure releases, check for salt and spices, boil for few mins and turn off.
  5. Do the tempering (see notes) and add it to the sambar, add cilantro.
  6. Serve Hot with Rice and Potato chips.
Recipe Notes

For tempering heat the ghee in a small pan on stove, add all ingredients when the ghee is hot. Fry till fragrant and garlic becomes golden. Alternatively you can do this Tempering in the first step directly in the Instant pot. It’s just a preference.
If using Raw tamarind, then soak it in hot water and get the extract.
Sambar powder is easily available in Indian groceries.
You can also use other veggies like Okra, Moringa pods, pumpkin, Shallots, Radish etc
Serve this Sambar as a Vegetable soup or with Rice, traditional breakfasts like Dosa, Idli or Upma.
Yellow lentils can be replace with red lentils.

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