Preparation
The pigeon peas are cooked until crumbled. Vegetables, turmeric, salt, asafoetida (a pinch) and a mixture of ground spices known as sambar powder (which contains roasted coriander seeds, chillies, lentils, and other spices) are initially boiled together. After the vegetables and tamarind water are slightly cooked, the lentils and ground coconut mixture are added and allowed to cook until the vegetables are done. A wide variety of vegetables may be added to sambar. Typical vegetables include okra, carrot, radish, pumpkin, daikon, potatoes, tomatoes, brinjal (eggplant) and whole or halved shallots or onions, but many different vegetables may be used with adequate results. Typically sambar may contain one or several seasonal vegetables as the main vegetables in the soup. Andhra pappu chaaru is prepared the other way round where in vegetables and tamarind pulp are added to the cooked lentils and then boiled. This slight variation in the method of cooking them brings in the distinction in their texture and flavour.
The cooked sambar is typically tempered with a garnish, which is an oil-fried spice mixture containing items such mustard seeds, black gram, dried red chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, and asafoetida. Fresh curry leaves or coriander leaves may be added at the very end to enhance the flavor. Curry leaves in particular are an essential element of authentic sambar; their aroma and flavor provide sambar with a distinct and pleasant herbal essence.
Sambar is reflective of a broad and ancient tradition of lentil-based vegetable stews in southern India. Many regions and families of the Indian subcontinent have developed and maintained their own adaptations of a lentil and vegetable stew, and similar preparations are evident in such dishes known in local languages as rasam, charu, saaru, and pappu pulusu.
In some areas, people use coconut powder, but the original recipe does not include coconut powder.
Read more about this topic: Sambar (dish)
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