Sambar

WikiVoyage. [Map]. https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tamil_Nadu

The Dravide Cultural Region: Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is a state in the south of India bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and the south. On the other side, it is bordered by Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The population is made up of Tamil people who speak the language also called Tamil. Tamil is one of the Dravidian languages, a language family descending from the group believed to be the earliest inhabitants of South Asia. The capital of Tamil Nadu is Chennai.

Tamil Nadu is an almost entirely agricultural state. Like the neighboring states, the most common crops include rice, millet, peanut, chickpeas, cashews, and chilis. The climate is tropical, and ingredients like coconut are also commonly used.

Bharatanatyam is the oldest classical dance in India originating from Tamil Nadu. This dance style is a storytelling tool, using facial expressions, music, beat, rhythm, and hand gestures to depict a folk or religious tale. Lord Shiva is the god of this dance form. Dances are usually performed in a squatted or seated position, called aramandi. Costumes are draped in such a way that it fans out when the dancer is in aramandi.

Sambar is another classic South Indian dish, eaten daily with rice, dosa, or idli. It is typically made with toor dal, or yellow pigeon split peas, tamarind, and vegetables like okra, zucchini, eggplant, or onion are often added as well.

Sambar

Ingredients:

Tamarind Water:

1 tbsp tamarind

1/3 cup hot water

Lentils:

1/2 cup split pigeon peas (toor dal)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cup water

Vegetables:

1-1.5 cup chopped mixed vegetables (eg. okra, green beans, peas, potatoes, squash, peas)

1 small onion or 6-7 pearl onions thinly sliced

1 tomato diced

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1 1/2 -2 cups water

1 tbsp ready made sambar powder

Tempering:

2 tbsp sesame oil, ghee, coconut oil, or vegetable oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1-2 dry red chilis

1 spring curry leaves

1 pinch asafoetida (hing)

5-6 fenugreek seeds (methi)

Cook Click N Devour. [Photograph] https://www.cookclickndevour.com/sambar-recipe-south-indian/

Instructions:

Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes.
After it has become soft, squeeze the excess water from the tamarind and discard.
In a bowl rinse the dal well and add to a pressure cooker or to a pot on the stove over medium heat. Add water, cover and cook for 9-10 minutes.
Mash with a spoon, cover, and keep aside.
To a pan on medium heat add your chopped vegetables, onion, and tomato.
Add turmeric, kashmiri chili (optional), and salt.
Add 1 1/2 -2 cups water and cook over medium low flame.
When the vegetables are almost cooked, add tamarind water and 1 tbsp sambar masala powder.
Add mashed dal and stir well.
Simmer on medium low until the sambar boils.
When you begin to see a frothy layer on top, remove from heat and set aside.
In a small pan head 2 tbsp oil and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
When the mustard seeds pop, add dry red chilis, curry leaves, methi seeds, and hing. Fry until the curry leaves are crisp
Immediately add this mixture to the sambar and cover for 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately with rice, idli, dosa, or on its own.

Serving Size: 4.

Mathai , K. (2014). Sambar: The great tamil dish of Maharashtrians: Chennai News - Times of India. The Times of India. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/sambar-the-great-tamil-dish-of-maharashtrians/articleshow/43514999.cms?from=mdr#:~:text=CHENNAI%3A%20The%20story%20goes%20that,his%20head%20chef%20was%20away.Oseland, J. (2014, July 25). Sambar (South Indian vegetable stew). Saveur. Retrieved 2022, from https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/sambar-south-indian-vegetable-stew/

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