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.

Author: Pavani

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Course: soups stews

Cuisine: south indian

Servings: servings

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

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