Masoor Dal Sambar
Masoor dal makes a smoother and milder tasting sambar. Vegetables like eggplant, bottle gourd, carrot, potato, chayote etc can be added to the sambar to make it more substantial.
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Ingredients
- ½ cup Masoor Dal (red lentils)
- 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup Fresh grated coconut
- 1~1½ tablespoons Sambar powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 tablespoons Tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 medium Red Onion or shallot, thinly sliced
- 3~4 cups Mixed vegetables (bottle gourd, drumstick, radish, eggplant etc.)
- To taste Salt
- 2½ cups Water, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves, finely chopped
For Tempering:
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chili, broken
- ¼ teaspoon Asafetida/ Hing
- 6 - 8 Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Wash and drain the lentils. Set aside until ready to use.
- In a blender, combine tomatoes, grated coconut, sambar powder, turmeric and tamarind paste. Blend to a smooth paste and set aside.
- Heat oil in an Instant pot on 'Sauté' mode. Once hot, add the onions and the vegetables. Cook for 2~3 minutes. Next add the tomato-coconut paste and salt. Cook for 2~3 minutes more.
- Stir in the drained lentils, 1½ cups of water and mix well. Make sure to scrape the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Lock the lid and close the steam valve. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the timer sounds, naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes and quick release the remainder.
- Stir in 1 cup of water to get to desired consistency. Add more water if needed. Cook on sauté mode to heat through, about 2~3 minutes.
Make Tempering:
- Heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard & cumin seeds, red chili and hing. Once the seeds start to splutter, add the curry leaves and cook for 15~30 seconds. Pour the tempering into the dal mixture and mix well.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with rice or idli/ dosa.
Video
Notes
- You can make this recipe with toor dal instead. Increase the cook time to 8 minutes.
- Use your favorite vegetables to make this sambar recipe. Traditional veggies like eggplant, bottle gourd, carrot, potato, chayote are great. But you can also use zucchini, leeks and radishes.
- Make sure to use ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Use either fresh or frozen shredded/ grated coconut. But if you only have dried unsweetened coconut, then soak in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
- Leftover sambar tastes amazing because the broth and veggies have a chance to absorb all the lovely flavors.
- Store leftover sambar in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze for up to 1~2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4805IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
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