“Sambar” is basically a lentil stew and is usually made with different vegetables like spinach, tomato, capsicum and so on. I get fresh okra only when we visit the Indian store, but last summer my friend gave me okra seeds to plant in the garden. The plants did not do that great, but we were still happy with the okra we got.
Okra sambar is my childhood favorite and luckily the family loves okra too. It is supposedly a very healthy vegetable and we were basically drowned in okra while growing up 
. Too bad it has become a delicacy now. Off to the recipe.
Okra Sambar (Vendakkai Sambar)
Lentil stew with okra.
Ingredients:
- toor dal - 3/4 cup
- oil - 2 tsp
- mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp (kadugu)
- onion - 3/4 cup - chopped
- tomatoes - 1 cup - chopped
- okra - 2 1/2 cups - cut into 1 inch pieces
- sambar powder - 2 - 3 tsp
- salt - to taste
- tamarind - small lime size (about 1/2 cup juice extracted)
Instructions:
Cook the dal and keep aside. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.
Add onions; when onions are cooked add the tomatoes, okra, sambar powder, 3 cups of water and salt. When the vegetables are cooked add the tamarind water and bring to a boil.
After about 6 - 8 minutes add the cooked dal and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the stove and serve with rice, dosai, etc.
I use a pressure cooker to cook the toor dal.
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Pictorial
1. Cook toor dal and keep aside.
2. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add onions.
3. Onions are cooked.
4. Add tomatoes, okra, sambar powder and salt.
5. Add about 3 cups of water.
6. When the okra is cooked add the tamarind water and bring to a boil.
7. After about 6 - 8 minutes add the cooked dal.
8. Simmer for about 5 minutes and turn off the stove.
Tasty sambar ready.
Enjoy!
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my fav sambar
I somehow don’t like okra in curries but this seems very inviting…
so homely and so comforting!!
yummy sambar..