So, the other day I was craving sambar, like really craving it, but I just didn’t have the hours to do the whole traditional, slow-cooked shebang. You know how it is, life gets busy! I needed something that would hit the spot but wouldn’t keep me chained to the stove. And let me tell you, I think I nailed a pretty quick and easy version, and I just had to share how I did it.
What I Grabbed From My Kitchen
Honestly, I didn’t go out of my way for fancy ingredients. I just used what I typically have on hand for a decent sambar. Here’s roughly what went into the pot:
- About a cup of toor dal, maybe a little less. I just eyeballed it.
- A couple of tomatoes, roughly chopped. Nothing precise here.
- One onion, sliced up.
- Whatever veggies I could find quickly – I had some carrots and a bit of bottle gourd (lauki). Chopped them into chunks.
- Tamarind pulp – I used a small lemon-sized ball, soaked it in hot water. Essential for that tang!
- Sambar powder, of course. My go-to brand. About 2-3 tablespoons, I like it flavorful.
- For the tempering (tadka): mustard seeds, a few fenugreek seeds (methi dana), a pinch of asafoetida (hing), dried red chilies, and a sprig of curry leaves.
- Turmeric powder, just a bit.
- Salt, to taste.
- A tiny piece of jaggery, optional, but I think it balances the flavors nicely.
- Oil or ghee for cooking.
Here’s How I Whipped It Up
Alright, so the first thing I did was get that toor dal cooking. I washed it really well, like 3-4 times, until the water wasn’t super cloudy. Then, I chucked it into my trusty pressure cooker with enough water to cover it well, a pinch of turmeric, and a few drops of oil – helps prevent it from frothing over, or so I’m told.
While the dal was whistling away (I usually let it go for about 4-5 whistles on medium heat so it gets nice and mushy), I got started on the veggies and the base. I heated up some oil in a separate, fairly deep pan. Once it was hot, I threw in the mustard seeds. Waited for them to pop – very important, that! Then went in the fenugreek seeds (just a few, they can be bitter), dried red chilies, and the asafoetida. Gave it a quick stir until the chilies darkened a bit, then tossed in the curry leaves. The smell at this point? Absolutely fantastic!
Next, I added the sliced onions and sautéed them until they were soft and translucent, not really browned. Then in went the chopped tomatoes. I cooked them down for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they started to break down and get a bit pulpy. This is when I added the sambar powder. I stirred it in and cooked it for a minute, just to toast it a little and get rid of that raw spice taste.
By this time, the pressure cooker had done its job. I released the pressure carefully and opened it up. The dal was perfectly cooked and soft. I gave it a quick mash with the back of a ladle right in the cooker – not into a super smooth paste, but just enough to break it down.
Then, I poured the cooked dal into the pan with the onion-tomato-spice mixture. I also added the chopped veggies (carrots and bottle gourd in my case) at this stage. I stirred everything together and then added the tamarind water – I squeezed the pulp well and strained the water into the pan. Added some more water to get the consistency I wanted, sambar shouldn’t be too thick or too watery, you know? Added salt and that little piece of jaggery.
I brought the whole thing to a boil, then reduced the heat and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. This part is just to let the veggies cook through and for all those lovely flavors to meld together. I tasted it once or twice, adjusted the salt a tiny bit. You just know when it’s right.
And that was pretty much it! Seriously, from start to finish, it probably took me around 35-40 minutes, most of which was just letting things cook on their own. It wasn’t the kind of sambar that simmers for ages, but it was delicious, hearty, and satisfied that craving perfectly. Served it up with some hot steamed rice, and it was a winner. Sometimes, quick and easy is all you need!