Vengaya Sambar | Shallots Sambar Recipe

I have already posted two different method of doing sambar. The tiffin sambar is the best one for all the breakfast recipes and the instant sambar are speciliazed for bachelors and the working women. Now am going to post a basic recipe “vengaya sambar”.  You can even add any veggie of choice to this basic sambar recipe and change accordingly.

I used shallots (sambar vengayam) in this recipe. These are just the onions but quite smaller in size. Even though it is smaller in size it has all the health benefits than the regular onions… and there is no compensation in taste too. It has a rich amount of iron and fiber which helps to reduce ur cholesterol level. You can use these shallots in ur day to day recipes instead of the regular onions. But these are quite costlier than the regular ones. Let’s move to the recipe quickly!!!

Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

¾ cup toor dal

Marble sized tamarind

½ cup small onions/shallots

2-3 garlic cloves

¼ tsp turmeric powder

Pinch of asafoetida

¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

1-2 green chillies

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp coriander powder

¾ tsp sambar powder
coriander leaves (to garnish)

1-2 tsp oil

Salt (to taste)

To temper

1tsp mustard

Curry leaves (as needed)

1-2 red chillies

How to make it

• Wash once or twice the toor dal in running water. Add 2 cups of water and soak it for 15-20 mins. Then add the turmeric powder, asafoetida, garlic, fenugreek to the dal along with two drops of oil and pressure-cook for 3 whistles.

• Once the pressure comes down, slowly open the lid. Smash it with a smasher or just with the ladle. Keep aside.
• Put the tamarind ball in warm water for 15 mins. Extract the juice from it.
• Peel the outer skin of the shallots. Slit the green chillies.
• In a separate pan heat oil and temper the items given.

• Add the peeled shallots and green chillies. Sauté the shallots till it separate as leaflets.

• Add the tamarind juice and mix well. Add the coriander and chilli powder and mix again.

• Allow it to boil till the raw smell of the spice powders leaves.

• Then add the mashed toor dal and blend well. Check for the consistency and add salt. After adding the dal the gravy becomes thick. If u wants to dilute it add some water. Boil it again for a while by closing with the lid.
• Finally add the sambar powder and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with steamed rice with any dry curries.

Notes:

1. I dint use tomatoes in this recipe. You can add the tomatoes and reduce the tamarind amount. Check my instant sambar recipe here.
2. I used both green and red chillies along with chilli powder too. Add these according to ur spice level.
3. Either home-made or store bought sambar powder can be used. But the taste differs according to that.