A dish like sambar is very versatile and can be made in many different ways. One such way is with avarakkai (broad beans). This sambar pairs well with rice, dosa, and idli.
Wash and drain toor dhal 
Add toor dhal, oil, tumeric powder, and water to a cooker 
Pressure cook for 4 whistles 
Dry roast spices and channa dhal 
Add veggies, sambar powder, and salt to the cooker 
Pour in water and pressure cook for 1 whistle 
Prepare tamarind extract 
Add tamarind extract, curry leaves and freshly ground powder to sambar 
Boil for 3-4 minutes 
Prepare tempering 
Add tempering to sambar
Avarakkai Sambar
Sambar can be made in many different ways. One such way is with avarakkai (broad beans). This sambar pairs well with rice, dosa, and idli.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- ½ cup toor dhal
- 1½ cup avarakkai (also known as broad beans)
- 1 cup pearl onions
- 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tbsp sambar powder
- 1 key lime sized tamarind (soaked in ½ cup water)
- 6 curry leaves
- 3-3½ cup water (adjust to the required consistency)
- salt to taste
To Roast and Grind:
- 1 tbsp channa dhal
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp methi seeds
- 3 red chilies
To Temper:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp uradh dhal
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 red chilies
- ¼ tsp asafetida (also known as hing or perungayam)
Instructions
- Wash toor dhal and drain excess water. Add toor dhal to a pressure cooker along with 1½ cups water, turmeric powder, and oil.
- Pressure cook for 4 whistles. Set aside to let the pressure release naturally.
- Dry roast the ingredients under "To Roast and Grind: " in a small pan. Once aromatic, remove from flame and set aside to cool.
- Grind dry roasted ingredients into a powder using a dry blender.
- Once the pressure has released, carefully open the pressure cooker. Mash the dhal using a masher.
- Now, add tomatoes, onions, avarakkai, sambar powder, and salt. Also add 1-1½ cups water, depending on the preferred consistency.
- Pressure cook for 1 whistle and let the pressure release naturally once done.
- Carefully open the pressure cooker and add tamarind extract, 1 tbsp of the freshly ground spice powder, and curry leaves.
- Mix well, adjust the consistency of sambar by adding water if needed and boil for 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add oil to a tadka pan. Add the ingredients under "To Temper: " into the tadka.
- Once mustard seeds start to crackle, remove tempering from the flame and pour over the sambar.
- Serve hot with rice, idli, or dosa.
- See below for additional sambar varieties and sambar powder used.
