Sambar

Sambar is South India's everything-stew: tangy from tamarind, gently sweet from the vegetables, finished with a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves that goes on top at the end. The vegetable list is a suggestion — drumstick, eggplant, pumpkin, okra, carrots, radish, whatever you have. The constant is the dal-tamarind base and that final tempering.

Ingredients

• 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas), rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 4 cups water

For the vegetables:

• 1 small yellow onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 small carrot, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1/2 cup green beans, in 2-inch pieces
• 1 small drumstick or eggplant, in chunks (optional)

For the sambar broth:

• 1 lime-sized ball of tamarind (or 2 tablespoons tamarind paste)
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons sambar powder
• 1 teaspoon jaggery or brown sugar
• Kosher salt

For the tempering:

• 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chiles
• 15 fresh curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Method

1. Pressure-cook the toor dal with turmeric, oil, and water until completely soft — 4 whistles on stovetop, or 10 minutes high pressure on an Instant Pot. Whisk smooth.
2. Meanwhile, soak the tamarind in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze to extract pulp; discard fibers and seeds.
3. In a separate large pot, simmer the vegetables in 2 cups water until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cooked dal, tamarind water, sambar powder, jaggery, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add 1 to 2 cups more water for a soupy consistency. Simmer 10 minutes, partly covered, for the flavors to come together. Taste — it should be tangy, savory, a little sweet. Adjust salt.
4. In a small pan, heat the ghee. Add mustard seeds; when they pop, add cumin, red chiles, curry leaves, and hing. Sizzle 20 seconds.
5. Pour the tempering over the sambar. Stir once. Cover for 2 minutes to trap the aromatics.
6. Serve over rice with a spoonful of ghee, or alongside idli or dosa.

A note: Sambar powder varies brand to brand — start with 1 tablespoon if yours is strong, add more to taste. MTR and Aachi are reliable.