South Indian Tamil Brahmin Style Drumstick Sambar or Murungakkai Sambar recipe is a lentil stew made with drumstick pods, cooked split pigeon peas, tamarind, homemade sambar powder with a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. No Onion No Garlic Sambar recipe.
Sambar is a lentil based soup or stew with a tamarind base. It is spicy, tangy and served with rice or side for breakfast recipes likes Idli, Dosa or Uttapam.
Sambar can be prepared with mixed vegetables or select few veggies. In this case, we have used tender moringa pods. It is a joy to eat drumstick sambar with rice and poriyal, while carefully sucking the tender pods.
Tamil Brahmin style sambar recipes don't use onion or garlic. Another variation of sambar is using fresh coconut. This is a simple.
The ingredients are pretty basic. You will need Sambar Powder for this recipe. Feel free to use store bought sambar masala. Check recipe notes for my recommendations.
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About Sambar
Sambar is pronounced as Sambaar and not Sambur.
South Indian sambar has good portion of vegetables and cooked lentils. It is a one-pot meal when served with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.
There are 2 variations - One using fresh sambar powder (roasted and ground spices, lentils).
Other variation is Arachivitta Sambar with fresh coconut, lentils, chilies and spices.
Restaurant style sambar and homemade version may differ. Restaurant version is a bit sweet.
You can make and store sambar in the refrigerator for couple of days. Serve it with rice, crispy dosa, vada, idli or uttapam.
Ingredients
Lentils - Split Pigeon Peas, Tur Dal, Arhar Dal - Rinse and pressure cook the lentils until soft and mushy.
Tamarind Extract - Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the pulp. You can use store bought pulp for the recipe. It saves time.
Drumstick / Moringa Pods / Murungakkai (Tamil) - You can add 1-2 variety of vegetables with drumstick. Feel free to substitute moringa pods with any of the vegetables listed below.
- Potatoes - peel potatoes, dice into thick chunks.
- Pumpkin or Butternut Squash - Peel and dice into thick chunks
- Bhindi, Lady Finger, Okra - cut 2 inch pieces
- Brinjal - cut into thick chunks or lengthwise thick slices
- Radish - Add radish slices. The consistency of Radish sambar is more liquid as compared to regular sambar.
- Shallots or Madras Onions - peel the onions, saute with oil until light golden brown and add to the reduced tamarind broth.
- Bottle Gourd,Calabash or Dudhi - Peel and add thick chunks.
Sambar Masala or Sambar Powder - You can use fresh or store bought masala. Everest, MTR brand is available in leading supermarkets.
Tip - Try couple of brands before you can pick your favorite. Each masala tastes different.
Hing (asafoetida) - Sambar without hing is incomplete. If you are gluten sensitive, omit this ingredient from the list.
How to make Drumstick Sambar or Murungakkai sambar recipe
Prep by cutting the drumstick into finger size pieces.
Soak the tamarind in hot water
Rinse and pressure cook tur dal or lentils until soft and mushy
Extract pulp from tamarind and keep aside.
Heat oil, mustard seeds and sauté drumstick for couple of minutes.
Add the tamarind extract, salt, hing and turmeric. Once the raw smell goes off, add sambar powder.
Once it thickens, add the cooked and mashed lentils.
Add water to adjust consistency. Bring it to a boil. Check seasoning, add tempering and garnish with coriander before serving.
Pro-Tips when making Sambar
If you have accidently added more water to sambar, thicken the sambar by adding 2 tsp of rice flour mixed with water. Whisk and add it to the simmering sambar. Stir and let it thicken for 1-2 mins before switching off the flame.
You can add cooked lentils to thicken sambar. Adjust spices, salt etc.
Tamarind Paste instead of soaking the tamarind - Use homemade or store bought tamarind paste. Refer to the recipe notes for exact quantity. The color of sambar depends on the variety of tamarind used.
Always try 1-2 variety of tamarind and use what suits best for your kitchen and the dishes you cook.
How to fix spicy Sambar - If you have accidently added too much chili powder or sambar powder, add a bit of jaggery to balance the heat. Taste and check or else the sambar will taste sweet.
If you stock cooked frozen lentils, you can thaw it in the microwave and add to sambar. This will drastically help in reducing heat. However, don't forget to adjust the other spices or salt.
Storage
If making drumstick Sambar in bulk, cool it completely after cooking before transferring into small containers.
In the refrigerator, murungakkai sambar stays fresh for 48 to 72 hours. The taste may vary after 48 hours depending on weather conditions.
When freezing sambar, store in individual containers. Thaw and use, as required.
Serving Suggestion
You can serve sambar with quinoa, brown rice or cooked millets of your choice.
Serve with rice and veggie side (also known as poriyal or thoran) Classic favorites include Cabbage Poriyal, Vazhakkai Podimas, Beans Carrot Thoran and Potato Roast
Side with South Indian breakfast recipes - Brown Rice Dosa and Ragi Idli
More Drumstick / Moringa recipes
Murungai Keerai Podi (Drumstick Leaves or Moringa Leaves Lentil dry chutney)
Drumstick Leaves Kootu (Murungai Keerai Kootu)
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Drumstick Sambar Recipe | Murungakkai Sambar
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 4 Drumstick or Murungakkai
- 1/3 cup Tur dal split pigeon peas, arhar dal
- 2 marble size tamarind balls
- ½ cup Hot water to soak the tamarind for extracting pulp
- 1 ½ tablespoon Sambar Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Hing or asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds or Rai
- 2 teaspoon Oil Use Veg oil or sesame oil
- A pinch of jaggery (optional) read notes below
- Salt to taste
For Tempering
- 2 teaspoon Ghee or clarified butter
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1-2 Whole Red chillies
- 1-2 sprigs of curry leaves
- Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and pressure cook tur dal with water until soft and mushy. Keep aside.
- Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Rinse, peel and cut the drumstick or murungakkai into finger length pieces
- After 10 minutes, extract pulp or juice from the tamarind and keep aside.
- Heat a heavy bottom pan, add oil, mustard seeds. Once mustard crackles, add drumstick and saute for 1 minute.
- Next add tamarind extract, hing, turmeric and let it simmer on medium heat until raw smell of tamarind goes off.
- Add sambar powder and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked tur dal, water to adjust consistency and mix well. Season with salt, add jaggery, mix and let it reach one boil. Note - Once you mix, taste check salt, spice, heat and add extra, if required.
- Switch off the heat, add finely chopped coriander leaves and prepare for tempering.
- In a small tempering pan, add ghee, mustard seeds, whole red chillies. Once mustard crackles, add curry leaves. Switch off the heat, add the tempering to the sambar, cover with lid and let the flavors absorb. Serve after 1-2 mins.
Notes
- Jaggery is added to balance heat from spices and tanginess from tamarind. Feel free to adjust quantity.
- Red chili powder is not used as homemade sambar powder includes chilies. Add extra, if you like. Store bought masala is not usually spicy so you might have to add paprika or kashmiri red chili powder.
- Sambar is tempered with ghee. Feel free to use oil for vegan recipe. Ghee adds aroma and enhances flavors.
- For gluten free recipe, omit hing / asafoetida.
- If you have accidently added more water to sambar, thicken the sambar by adding 2 tsp of rice flour mixed with water. Whisk and add it to the simmering sambar. Stir and let it thicken for 1-2 mins before switching off the flame.
- Tamarind Paste instead of soaking the tamarind - Use homemade or store bought tamarind paste. The color of sambar depends on the variety of tamarind used.
- How to fix spicy Sambar - If you have accidently added too much chili powder or sambar powder, add a bit of jaggery to balance the heat. Taste and check or else the sambar will taste sweet.
- If making Sambar in bulk, cool it completely after cooking before transferring into small containers.
- In the refrigerator, sambar stays fresh for 48 to 72 hours. The taste may vary after 48 hours depending on weather conditions.
- When freezing sambar, store in individual containers. Thaw and use, as required.
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Vidya Narayan