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Spicy Legume & Vegetable Soup (Sambhar)

AuthorYashodhara G.
RatingDifficultyIntermediate

Sambhar is a South Indian dish, customized with a mixture of available vegetables. Serve with sooji idli, nariyal chutney, dosa, uttapam, vada, and more. Also delicious with rice, Indian breads, or as a stew.

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Yields6 Servings
Prep Time10 minsCook Time50 minsTotal Time1 hr
 1 cup split pigeon peas (toor/arhar dal)Washed and soaked in water for 35 minutes.
 4 cups water (paanee), or more as needed
 1 tsp salt (namak), or to taste
 ½ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
 1 tbsp cooking oil (tel)
 ½ tsp small black mustard seeds (rai)
 ¼ tsp asafetida (hing)
 2 dried whole red chilies (sabut sukhi lal mirch) - optional
 6 sweet neem leaves (meethi curry patta)
 1 medium onions (pyaz)Peeled, halved, and sliced.
 4 okra (bhindi) Trimmed at both ends and cut down the middle.
 1 ½ daikon radish (mooli) - Can substitute with 4 to 6 red radishesCut into matchsticks; red radishes cut into four.
 ¼ cup eggplants (baigan)Cut into sticks.
 1 tomatoes (tamaatar)Cut in ¾” cubes.
 2 tsp sambhar powder - or to taste (spicy)
 1 tsp tamarind paste (imli) - or to taste (sour)
 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (hara dhania)Chopped.
1

After washing and soaking the pigeon peas, cook them in 3 cups of water, salt, and turmeric until well done. Set aside.

2

In a large pot, heat oil and temper mustard seed, asafetida, dried whole red hot peppers, and neem leaves. Cover with lid until the mustard seeds stop popping.

3

After mustard pops, add the fresh cut vegetables - onion, okra, radish, eggplant (or any of your choice) and mix.

4

Add 2-tbsp water, reduce the heat, cover and steam until the vegetables are half-cooked.

5

Add tomatoes, mix, and cook until the tomatoes are soft.

6

Mix in sambhar powder and 1 cup of water and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

7

Mix in cooked pigeon pea mixture and tamarind paste. Add more water as needed to achieve the desired thickness, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

8

Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, sambhar masala, tamarind) to your taste. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro garnish.

CategoryCuisineDiet,

Ingredients

 1 cup split pigeon peas (toor/arhar dal)Washed and soaked in water for 35 minutes.
 4 cups water (paanee), or more as needed
 1 tsp salt (namak), or to taste
 ½ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
 1 tbsp cooking oil (tel)
 ½ tsp small black mustard seeds (rai)
 ¼ tsp asafetida (hing)
 2 dried whole red chilies (sabut sukhi lal mirch) - optional
 6 sweet neem leaves (meethi curry patta)
 1 medium onions (pyaz)Peeled, halved, and sliced.
 4 okra (bhindi) Trimmed at both ends and cut down the middle.
 1 ½ daikon radish (mooli) - Can substitute with 4 to 6 red radishesCut into matchsticks; red radishes cut into four.
 ¼ cup eggplants (baigan)Cut into sticks.
 1 tomatoes (tamaatar)Cut in ¾” cubes.
 2 tsp sambhar powder - or to taste (spicy)
 1 tsp tamarind paste (imli) - or to taste (sour)
 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (hara dhania)Chopped.

Directions

1

After washing and soaking the pigeon peas, cook them in 3 cups of water, salt, and turmeric until well done. Set aside.

2

In a large pot, heat oil and temper mustard seed, asafetida, dried whole red hot peppers, and neem leaves. Cover with lid until the mustard seeds stop popping.

3

After mustard pops, add the fresh cut vegetables - onion, okra, radish, eggplant (or any of your choice) and mix.

4

Add 2-tbsp water, reduce the heat, cover and steam until the vegetables are half-cooked.

5

Add tomatoes, mix, and cook until the tomatoes are soft.

6

Mix in sambhar powder and 1 cup of water and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

7

Mix in cooked pigeon pea mixture and tamarind paste. Add more water as needed to achieve the desired thickness, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

8

Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, sambhar masala, tamarind) to your taste. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro garnish.

Spicy Legume & Vegetable Soup (Sambhar)
IngredientsDirections

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