Sambar is an Indian soup of lentils and vegetables that is flavored with tamarind, a tart-sour fruit commonly used in African and Asian cuisine. This soup is traditionally eaten with Chapatis, idli, or rice. It is somewhat spicy and somewhat tart, which is balanced by the neutral flatbread or rice.
Ingredients
Rice
- 1½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 3 cups water, for soup
- 1 cup red dal (masoor dal), picked over and rinsed, for soup
- 1 small onion, coarsely chopped, for soup
Vegetables
- 3 cups water
- 1 medium bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups coarsely chopped vegetable, such as cauliflower, zucchini, green beans
- 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
- Sea salt and black pepper
Sambar Masala Powder and Tempering
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida