Madras-Style Murungakkai Sambar
Every household in India has its own variation of toor dal sambar. The Madras-style Murungakkai (drumstick) Sambar is a popular, easy and flavourful choice for a light breakfast or lunch — no South Indian meal is complete without it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup toor dal/split-skinned pigeon peas
- 1.5 cup water (as required)
- Three vegetable drumsticks
- 10-15 shallots or one medium-sized onion, chopped
- One large chopped tomato
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- A small piece of tamarind, soaked in water
- One red chilli
- 6-7 curry leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin/jeera
- 1/4 teaspoon methi/fenugreek seeds
- Two tablespoons oil
- Two pinches asafoetida/hing
Method
- 1
Soak the toor dal for 10 minutes; soak a small piece of tamarind separately. Pressure cook the dal with a pinch of turmeric and a few garlic cloves for 4-5 whistles, then mash smooth.
- 2
Heat oil in a pan, add methi and onion; sauté till translucent. Add tomatoes and sauté till soft.
- 3
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder (or sambar powder), and sauté on low flame till fragrant.
- 4
Add water, stir, then add the drumsticks and salt; let it boil.
- 5
Once the drumsticks are half-cooked, add the filtered tamarind water and boil for a minute or two.
- 6
Add the mashed dal paste, adjusting water for the desired consistency. Add hing and let it simmer for about five minutes on medium flame.
- 7
In a small kadhai, heat oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves, and a broken red chilli; sauté till spluttering, then add to the sambar. Garnish with coriander leaves.
