I never get tired of sambar and I make it at least once a week. The main difference between sambar and kuzhambu is the addition of dal to sambar. Although I add tomatoes to sambar always, it has never been the star ingredient. The abundance of tomatoes prompted me to call my mom to get the recipe of tomato sambar. It certainly feels good to make something that tastes like the way mom makes it and it brought back nostalgic memories. You can use this sambar with rice or as a side dish to idli, dosai, upma, etc. Off to the recipe.
Tasty and tangy sambar.
Tomato Sambar (Thakkaali Sambar | Tomato Lentil Gravy)
Indian lentil gravy for rice, idli, dosai, etc.
Ingredients:
- toor dal - 1/2 cup (thuvaram paruppu )
- oil - 1 tsp
- mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp (kadugu)
- onion - 1/2 cup
- green chilly - 3
- tomatoes - 1.5 cups (around 4 roma tomatoes)
- turmeric - a pinch
- salt - to taste
- sambar powder - 2 tsp (adjust to taste)
- tamarind - small lemon size (I extracted about 3/4 cup juice)
Instructions:
Cook toor dal. Soak tamarind and keep aside. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add onions and green chillies and saute until the onions are cooked.
Add tomatoes and saute for a couple of minutes. Next add salt, turmeric, 2 cups water and sambar powder. Boil for a few minutes until the raw smell of the powder is gone.
Add tamarind extract and allow to boil for a few minutes. Add the cooked dal and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the stove and enjoy with rice, idli, dosa etc.
1. Add more or less water depending on how thick or thin you want the sambar to be.
2. I have used homemade sambar powder. Store bought will also work.
1 year ago: Potatoes in tomato gravy
Pictorial
1. Toor dal washed and ready to be cooked.
2. Cooeked dal. I use a pressure cooker to cook the dal.
3. Soak the tamarind in a little water.
4. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.
5. Add onions and green chillies.
6. Saute until the onions are cooked.
7. Add tomatoes.
8. Saute for 2 -3 minutes until the tomatoes turn mushy.
9. Add 2 cups water, salt, turmeric and sambar powder.
10. Boil for a few minutes until the raw smell of the powder is gone.
11. Add tamarind extract and allow to boil for a few minutes.
12. Next add the cooked dal and simmer for 5 minutes.
13. Sambar is ready.
We had sambar rice along with potato fry.
Enjoy!Linking to CWS – Dal.
 on http://cooksjoy.com/blog "Pin It")
variety taste & smell.variety taste & smell.i used 1 tsp kayam & jeera pwd to it
Thanks for the post.. Detailed and neat presentation..
Dear, we are adding 1.5cups of tomato and lmli, won’t it be too tangy.reply
This sambar is supposed to be on the tangier side. As mentioned in the ingredients, I have used roma tomatoes and they are not that tangy. So, feel free to reduce the tomatoes if the tomatoes you are using are too tangy to begin with.
Sambar looks lovely and I too make Tomato sambar but without onion.will try your version.
All time favorite
I like adding more tomatoes to my sambar n this tamarind, this with both sounds bit tangy n yummy
Liked ur presentation n pics
never say no to sambhar. Appreciate if u stop by at my space too.
My favourite sambar,i dont even need any side dish to enjoy this yummy food.