VegSaivam (Veg)Lunch

Bitter Gourd Sambar

Name: Bitter Gourd Sambar
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Tamil Nadu, Tanjore
Ingredients: 1 cup toor dal; 200 g bitter gourd sambar, cut into pieces; 1 lemon-sized tamarind, soaked; 2 tbsp sambar powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tomato, chopped; 8 small onions; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 sprig curry leaves; 2 dried red chillies; 1 tbsp gingelly oil; Salt to taste; Coriander leaves to garnish

பாகற்காய் சாம்பார்

45 mins Serves 3 Medium Chef Selvaraj Tanjore 4.7 (219)

A homely Tamil Nadu sambar made with soft bitter gourd sambar and freshly tempered gingelly oil — the everyday gravy that pairs with rice, idli and dosai.

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Method

1
Pressure cook the toor dal with turmeric and a drop of oil for 4 whistles, then mash well.
2
Boil the tamarind extract with bitter gourd sambar, small onions, tomato, sambar powder and salt until the vegetables turn soft and the raw smell of tamarind disappears.
3
Add the mashed dal, adjust the consistency with hot water and simmer for 5 minutes.
4
Heat gingelly oil, splutter mustard, red chillies and curry leaves, and pour this tempering over the sambar.
5
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, idli or dosai.