Growing up, sambar meant my mom simmering it most of a Sunday morning, ladled hot over steaming idlis with coconut chutney on the side. This is my Instant Pot version: same bottle gourd, same drumstick beans, same tamgy tomato base, but done in one pot in under an hour. The Instant Pot cuts the time by more than half, and I honestly can't tell the difference anymore. Stovetop instructions are below too!
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Sambar is a South Indian lentil stew; spiced with sambar powder, slightly tangy and sweet, meant to be ladled over steamed Idli or scooped up with pillowy uttapam. I learned this South Indian version from my friend Indu's mother-in-law, and I've simplified it into one pot in the Instant Pot without losing what makes it taste right: the bottle gourd, the drumstick beans, the order you add the tamarind in. Not only did she teach me how to make the best Sambar but also how to make Homemade Sambhar Powder that adds all the authentic flavors in this lentil soup.
And If you love lentils, I've got tons of Indian dal recipes for you that are perfect for weeknight dinners.
"I have being trying to recreate my favorite sambar from my former local Indian restaurant I used to live nearby and finally!!! This is such a great recipe and really resembles the taste I was going for. Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
(The only thing I changed is a little bit less tamarind since the brand I have is really sour. 🙂 )" - Divya
A few things I've learned making this repeatedly
- Store-bought sambar powder runs hotter than homemade. Start with half of what the recipe calls for and build up.
- Add the tamarind at the very end, after the dal is fully cooked and soft. Add it too early, and the acidity can keep the lentils from breaking down.
- Frozen drumstick beans go straight into the pot, no thawing. I use them almost every time.
- Toor dal is traditional, but masoor dal works when that's what's in the pantry; it cooks down just as well.
- The trick for balancing sourness isn't sugar; it's a small piece of jaggery melted in at the end; it rounds out the tamarind without making the sambar taste sweet.
What It Looks Like at Each Step
Serving Ideas
Sambar is a versatile dish that can be served in many different ways! If you ask me, I love it with my unbelievably fluffy Instant Pot basmati rice! Its comfort food at its best.
And if you are looking for something unique try my crispy quinoa dosa that needs no fermentation or with soft quinoa idli.
★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!
Recipe
Vegetable Sambar (South Indian Lentil Soup)
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 15 curry leaves
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 plum tomato diced
- 1 carrot peeled and sliced
- 2 cups bottle gourd peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 frozen drumstick beans
- ½ cup toor dal rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 to 3 tablespoons sambar powder
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt plus more to taste
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute(more)mode and heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop. Add hing, curry leaves, onion, and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato, carrot, bottle gourd, and drumstick beans, turmeric, salt and, sambar powder and mix well. Add toor dal, and water and give a quick stir.
- Close the Instant Pot with the steam release handle to sealing. Pressure Cook (High) for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally and open the pot. Mix the daal well, mashing with the back of the spoon.
- Stir in tamarind. Add more water if needed to bring the sambar to the desired consistency. Note: sambar will continue to thicken as it cools down. Add more salt and sambar powder to taste. Select the Saute (More) setting and bring the sambar to a full boil. Press Cancel. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.
Notes
- Add rinsed and washed lentils along with 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker and cook until the lentils are soft and mushy. You can also cook them on a stovetop pot for about 30 minutes or so.
- In another medium-sized pot heat oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop. Add hing, curry leaves, onion, and garlic and saute until the onions turn translucent and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomato, carrot, bottle gourd, and drumstick beans, turmeric, salt and, sambar powder and mix well. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook covered on low to medium heat until the vegetables are cooked through. About 10 minutes.
- Add cooked dal and give a quick stir. Stir in tamarind. Add more water if needed to bring the sambar to the desired consistency. Adjust salt to taste and add more sambar powder if needed.
Helen says
Never tried Sambar, didn’t know what it was and have looked for inspiration to cook veges whether a curry,stew or soup. I’ve discovered ministry of curry, so glad! This Sambar recipe was so tasty and pretty quick to make. Even found instant Idlis powder. My family really enjoyed eating this and will have a go at making some of the chutneys and dosas.
Archana says
Thank you Helen! I am so glad you made it and enjoyed with idli. You will love dosa and coconut chutney too.
Divya says
I have being trying to recreate my favorite sambar from my former local Indian restaurant I used to live nearby and finally!!! This is such a great recipe and really resembles the taste I was going for. Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
(The only thing I changed is a little bit less tamarind since the brand I have is really sour. 🙂 )
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback. Great idea to adjust the tamarind paste as the different brands have different sourness.
sasi says
Tried this sambar today...it was so yummy...my hubby loves it so much...thanks
Archana Mundhe says
So happy to hear you and your hubby loved the sambar!
Sus says
This recipe looks very beginner-friendly and I'm excited to try it! If we want to substitute the fresh vegetables with frozen vegetables like the frozen sambar vegetables packet you can buy from the Indian grocery store's frozen section, how do we go about using them? Do we need to thaw them first or can we directly add them to the instant pot with the other ingredients?
Archana Mundhe says
Using frozen sambar vegetables packet from the Indian grocery stores is a great idea and infact I use it all the time. No need to thaw, simple add them to the Instant Pot with other ingredients.
Asha says
This is an excellent sambhar recipe! I made one small change, I added the tamarind paste to the mix and then cooked the dal and it turned out yummy!
Archana Mundhe says
So glad you enjoyed the sambar recipe. Adding the tamarind paste before cooking the dal sounds like a great shortcut—love hearing how you made it your own! I usually add tamarind at the end, since the acidity can sometimes prevent the lentils from cooking soft, but if it worked well for you, that’s awesome. Thanks so much for sharing.
Paul says
How are you supposed to mash the dal without ruining the veggies?
Archana Mundhe says
There is no need to mash the dal in this recipe. It cooks down and disintegrates nicely in the sambar. Just stir it well after its cooked. Hope you give it a try.