Sambar (dish)
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Sambar or sambhar (Tamil சாம்பார் (சாம்பாறு in Sri Lanka),Kannada: ಸಾಂಬಾರ್, Malayalam: സാംബാറ്, Telugu: సాంబారు), pronounced "saambaar", is a dish common in southern India and Sri Lanka, made of lentils (usually red gram, also called toor dal in North India, and thuvaram paruppu in Tamil Nadu, South India).
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[edit] Method
Sambar consists of a broth made with tamarind (the pulp is soaked in water to extract the flavour and then discarded) and a mixture of ground spices known in Tamil as 'Sambar Podi' (powder) or grated coconut ground with coriander seeds and red chillies, is added to the tamarind broth. Cooked red gram and vegetables are added and heated till the flavours blend. A wide variety of vegetables can be added to sambar. Typical vegetables added in sambar include lady's fingers, drumstick, radish, pumpkin and whole or halved shallots, onions. The cooked sambar is seasoned with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida (milk extracted from the root of the plant Ferula asa-foetida which dries into a resinous gum) is added. Fresh curry leaves (botanical name Murraya koenigii) or coriander leaves may be added at the very end for added flavouring.
[edit] Two common methods
The taste of the sambar derived from the spices added to it. In general, sambar is made with the sambar powder or with ground coconut
[edit] Sambar Powder
Typical ingredients of the sambar powder includes -- lentils, coriander seeds, dried whole red chili, fenugreek seeds and dried curry leaves. Certain regions add optional ingredients like mustard seeds, cumin, black pepper. This powder is prepared by roasting a mixture of the spices with a minimum amount of oil to extract the soluble flavors in the spices and then ground to a powder.
[edit] Ground Cocunut
In regions that grow coconuts, notably Kerala, coastal Karnataka - Udupi and Mangalore and Tamilnadu, sambar is also made with a paste of ground coconuts and spices. This variant of sambhar is called in Tulu as kodel. Grated coconut is roasted with lentils and red chillies. It is then ground into a fine paste, added to the cooked vegetables and tamarind broth, and cooked. The uniqueness of kodel is created by using coconut instead of lentils.
[edit] Other variants
Several minor variants exist depending on the meal of the day, region, and the vegetable used. Sambar without lentils (but with vegetables or fish) is called kozhambu in Tamil Nadu. There are major and minor variants of kozhambu (mor kozhambu, vetha kozhambu, rasavangi, etc.). Note that there are minor but subtle differences in preparation between all the variants (for instance, whether vegetables are added to the tamarind water or vice versa) makes them taste different.
[edit] Serving
Sambar is usually served with steamed rice. Sambar with rice is one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. It is not uncommon to eat sambar rice with appalam (papad). In the southern India, Vada sambar and Idli sambar are popular breakfast. It is also served with almost all south Indian dishes idli, dosa and vada.
