Tender yellow lentils, chunks of carrot and eggplant, and a broth with tamarind and sambar powder: this sambar is warmly spiced, tangy and hearty enough to serve with rice as a main course.
Sambar is a South Indian lentil dish that is also part of Indian food culture in Malaysia. The exact vegetables and proportions vary from household to household and region to region; here, toor dal, tamarind and sambar powder give the dish its distinctive character. It is different from Malaysian dalca: that has a different flavour profile, while the tangy tamarind and spice blend stand out clearly in this sambar.
Toor dal, also known as pigeon peas or yellow split peas, cooks into a soft, hearty base. The lentils don’t need to be soaked beforehand, but rinse them until the water is less cloudy. Carrot retains a little bite after cooking, while eggplant softens and soaks up the spiced broth. Carrots and eggplants are generally available year-round; choose firm eggplants, and adjust the cooking time if the pieces are small or large.
Sambar powder is a spice blend that includes roasted spices and chilli. Its ingredients and heat vary by brand, so taste before adding extra pepper. Mustard seeds and curry leaves are briefly heated in oil, adding a fragrant, savoury note to the dish. Don’t let the mustard seeds burn; once they start to pop and the leaves sizzle, the oil is ready to stir into the sambar.
Tamarind adds a rounded, fruity tang that balances the soft lentils and sweet carrot. Tamarind pulp is best; strain the soaking liquid so no fibres or seeds end up in the pan. If you only have tamarind concentrate, start with a small amount and add more to taste; concentrates vary greatly in intensity. No eggplant on hand? Zucchini works too, but add it later so it doesn’t cook apart.
Serve the sambar with white rice so the rice soaks up the spiced sauce. It should be thick but spoonable; stir in a little hot water at the end if it gets too thick. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container and eat them within three days. Store the rice separately, and when reheating, heat both the rice and sambar until piping hot all the way through.
Rinse the toor dal in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear. Put the dal and 900 ml water in a pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pan partially and simmer for 30–40 minutes until the lentils are completely soft. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if needed.
Meanwhile, put the tamarind pulp in a small bowl, pour over 100 ml boiling water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Mash the pulp and strain the liquid; discard the fibres left behind.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the carrot, eggplant, sambar powder and turmeric, and stir for 1 minute. Pour in 650 ml water, bring to a boil and simmer for 12–15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still hold their shape.
Stir the soft dal into the vegetables. Add the strained tamarind liquid and salt, and simmer the sambar gently for 8 minutes. Stir along the bottom of the pan from time to time; add a little hot water if the sambar gets very thick.
Rinse the rice and cook it with 450 ml water according to the package instructions. Keep warm while the sambar simmers.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop, add the curry leaves and fry briefly until they sizzle. Stir the spiced oil into the sambar and taste to see if it needs more salt. Serve with the rice.
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