One Pot Vegetable Sambar

Name: One Pot Vegetable Sambar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients: 2.5 cup Boiled dal; 0.5 tbsp Turmeric powder; 500 mL water; 50 g French beans; Few cauliflower florets; 2 potato diced; 1 raw banana diced; 0.5 cup green peas; 2 small brinjals cut into long cubes; 0.5 onion diced; 0.5 tomato diced; Few curry leaves; 2 slit green chillies; 2 piece tamarind; 0.5 tbsp Red chilli powder; 1 tbsp sambar powder; 0.5 tbsp salt; 1 jaggery cube; Few Coriander leaves; 1 tbsp Coconut oil; 1 tsp Mustard seeds; 2 dry red chilli; Few curry leaves; 1 tsp Asafoetida

by Ria Pai (@riapai009)

Prep Time

10min

Cook Time

15min

Total Time

25min

South Indian Breakfast Lunch Dinner Main Course Light Meal Vegetarian Vegan Dairy-Free Spicy

One Pot Vegetable Sambar is a hearty, comforting, and flavorful South Indian dish made with lentils and vegetables, cooked together in a single pot to save time and effort. It’s a wholesome meal rich in proteins and fibers, making it perfect for lunch or dinner. Traditionally, sambar is served with...

Ingredients

8 Servings

(1 serving = 2 bowls )

One Pot Vegetable Sambar ingredients

2 1/2cup
Boiled dal
1/2tbsp
Turmeric powder
500mL
water
50g
French beans
Few cauliflower florets
2
potato diced
1
raw banana diced
1/2cup
green peas
2
small brinjals cut into long cubes
1/2
onion diced
1/2
tomato diced
Few curry leaves
2
slit green chillies
2piece
tamarind
1/2tbsp
Red chilli powder
1tbsp
sambar powder
1/2tbsp
salt
1
jaggery cube
Few Coriander leaves

Tempering One Pot Vegetable Sambar

1tbsp
Coconut oil
1tsp
Mustard seeds
2
dry red chilli
Few curry leaves
1tsp
Asafoetida

How to make One Pot Vegetable Sambar

In a cooker , add boiled toor dal , turmeric powder and water. Mix well.
Add all the veggies one by one as mentioned in the ingredients section from french beans - tomato.
Next add green chillies & tamarind pieces.
Add masalas like red chilli powder, sambar powder with salt , a piece of jaggery and coriander leaves . Mix everything together in the cooker.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles on medium heat if using a traditional pressure cooker. For an Instant Pot, set it to manual or pressure cook mode for about 10 minutes. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and check the consistency. If the sambar is too thick, you can add a little more water to adjust.
Heat coconut oil add mustard seeds, , dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Let them splutter for a few seconds until aromatic. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Temper the sambar.
Taste and adjust salt or tamarind for tanginess. Serve hot with steamed rice, idli, dosa, or as a soup.

Tips & Tricks

You can use a variety of vegetables depending on availability—pumpkin, zucchini, or radishes are good alternatives.
Make Sambar a day before consumption.It tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. I usually prepare at night to serve in breakfast the next day as the flavors continue to deepen.
Toor dal (pigeon peas) is traditionally used for sambar, but you can also combine it with moong dal for a smoother texture.
The tamarind adds tang, but to balance this sourness, adding a small piece of jaggery (or sugar) gives the sambar a slightly sweet edge. This enhances the complexity of flavors.
The consistency of sambar should neither be too thick nor too watery. It should be pourable but not soupy.
Let the sambar rest for 15-20 minutes after cooking. This allows the flavors to develop and meld together.
Always add tempering at the end for best aroma . Coconut oil works great for tempering if you prefer a South Indian touch.