Authentic Udupi Style Mixed Vegetable Sambar Recipe

Udupi Style Mixed Vegetable Sambar (Lentil Curry With Vegetables)

Description:
Udupi Style Mixed Vegetable Sambar is a rich and flavorful Indian gravy made with lentils and vegetables, and it uses authentic sambar powder for a truly authentic taste. Udupi, a small town famous for its traditional vegetarian cuisine, is known for dishes that are “satvik,” meaning they do not include onion or garlic. In this version, I’ve used pearl onions for extra flavor, but feel free to omit them if you’d like to keep it traditional. This dish is perfect for a wholesome, comforting lunch.

Cuisine: Mangalorean
Course: Lunch
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients:

For the Sambar:

• 1/4 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal)
• 1 cup Water
• 4 Small Brinjal (Eggplant), diced
• 1 Potato (Aloo), chopped
• 1 Carrot (Gajjar), chopped
• 6 Green beans (French Beans), chopped
• 10 Pearl onions (Sambar Onions), cut into wedges
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1 tsp Jaggery
• 1 cup Tamarind Water
• Water (as needed for cooking)
• Salt (to taste)

For the Sambar Paste:

• 1 tbsp Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 6 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
• 1 tsp Methi Seeds (Fenugreek Seeds)
• 1/4 cup Fresh coconut, grated
• 4 cloves Garlic

For the Tempering:

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai/Kadugu)
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 pinch Asafoetida (hing)
• 2 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 2 tsp Oil (for tempering)
• 2 tsp Oil (for sautéing)

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Vegetables:
   Chop all the vegetables and set them aside.

2. Cook the Lentils and Vegetables:
   In a pressure cooker, combine the toor dal, vegetables (eggplant, potato, carrot, green beans), turmeric powder, salt, and water. Cook for 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. Once done, mash the mixture lightly.

3. Make the Sambar Paste:
   Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, black peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds for about a minute. Turn off the heat and allow the spices to cool.
   Once cooled, add the roasted spices to a mixer jar along with garlic and grated coconut. Grind everything into a fine paste.

4. Cook the Sambar:
   In a saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil and sauté the pearl onions until soft and translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté until they soften.
   Add the mashed toor dal and vegetable mixture along with about 1 cup of water to adjust the consistency. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add jaggery, sambar powder (about 2 tablespoons), salt to taste, and check the seasoning. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes before turning off the heat.

5. Prepare the Tempering:
   In a small tempering pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Add mustard seeds, crushed garlic, asafoetida, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Let the tempering cook for about 20 seconds.

6. Final Touch:
   Pour the tempering over the sambar and mix well. The sambar is now ready to be served.

Serving Suggestions:
Serve this comforting Udupi Style Mixed Vegetable Sambar with steamed rice, cabbage thoran, and elai vadam for a traditional and delicious Mangalorean meal.

This recipe will be a great addition to your lunch table, bringing authentic flavors of Udupi right to your home. Enjoy!