Instant Pot Sambar
Instant Pot Sambar is a South Indian stew made with lentils, vegetables, a special spice blend (called sambar powder) and a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- ½ cup toor dal ( split pigeon pea, arhar dal)
- 2 cups vegetables ( I used carrot, drum stick and yellow cucumber)
- 2 medium tomato, chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4 teaspoon sambar powder ( homemade or store bought)
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- piece seedless tamarind
- ½ teaspoon jaggery ( or sugar)
- 5 cups water ( divided - for grinding dal, for soaking tamarind and cooking sambar)
- 1.5 teaspoon salt or to taste
For tempering
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 green chili, slit optional
- 1 dry red chili
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida( skip to make it gluten free)
- 1 small shallot, sliced
Pot in Pot Rice -
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 1.5 cups water ( add ¼ extra water if you like it slightly soft)
Instructions
- Wash half cup toor dal and soak in ¾th cup of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. While the dal is soaking, wash and prep the veggies. Except for tomatoes, cut the veggies to bigger chunks. Cut the drumstick to two inch pieces.
- Soak tamarind in half cup of hot water for 10 minutes and then extract the pulp.
- After 20 minutes, transfer the soaked dal with the water into a blender and roughly puree the dal.
- Transfer the pureed dal to the inner steel pot of the instant pot. Add the tomato, veggies, sambar powder, red chili powder, turmeric, tamarind water, salt and 3 cups water.
- If making the rice, place a large trivet and place the bowl with rice and water. ( For 1 cup of rice, you can use 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water)
- Close the instant pot lid, adjust the vent to sealing position and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Release the pressure after 8 -10 minutes. Remove the rice and set a side.
- Now to the sambar add about 1 of water and jaggery and press the saute mode
- While the Sambar is simmering do the tempering. In a small pan heat sesame oil and vegetable oil. Once the oil gets hot add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves, shallots and hing. Sauté for 2 minutes and add this tempering to the Sambar.
- Taste and adjust the salt. Cancel the saute mode and finally add chopped coriander leaves
- Delicious Sambar is ready to be served with your rice, Idli, dosa or medu vada.
Notes
You can also use store bought tamarind paste.
Adjust the amount of water depending on how thick or thin you like the sambar.
Sesame oil adds lot of flavor to the sambar, highly recommend using it in the tempering.
Do not add more than ¼ teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, if not the sambar will taste bitter.
Use your favorite good quality sambar powder.