Sambhar

On the glorious festival of Onam, lip-smacking Onasadya (Onam feast) is prepared by every Malayalee household, as it is the state festival of Kerala. It is said that people should eat the Onam feast during the festival even they have to sell their possessions. Talking about the dishes, the recipes prepared for the grand feast may vary from region to region. Although people make dishes that are native to their own region, the tradition of feasting on Thiruvonam (the tenth day of Onam) remains unchanged. Out of the recipes, Sambhar is one of the important dishes, which is prepared in myriad ways by the Keralites. In the following lines, we have provided the easiest way of how to make Sambar.

Sambar Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Cup Tuvar Dal (Arhar Dal)
• 3 Red Chiles
• 3 Green Chiles
• 1/4 tsp Methi
• 1 tsp Sambhar powder
• Curry leaves, a few
• Hing (Asafetida), a small pinch
• Salt 1 tsp Salt (to taste)
• Cooking Oil
• 2 tsp Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. Tamarind Paste
• 2 tsp. Vegetables (Drumstick, Green Pepper, Eggplant, Okra),
• Washed and diced

Method

• Cook thuvar dal and turmeric with extra water, on medium flame. Separate the two, and keep them aside.
• Cook the vegetables in thuvar dal water, and add turmeric and salt to this.
• After this is cooked, add tamarind paste.
• Heat some oil in a pan, splutter mustard, then add methi, red chilies, green chiies, curry leaves, asafetida , turmeric and sambhar powder and keep frying for a few minutes.
• Add this to the boiling vegetables.
• Add the thuvar dal and let it cook for a few more minutes.