South Indian Instant Pot Sambar - Authentic Homemade Recipe! (2024)

Tips and Substitutions

Dal

• Toor dal(pronounced ‘thoor daal’), also known as tuvar dal or arhar ki dal, comes in two varieties: oily and non-oily. You need to get the non-oily kind. They are also called split pigeon peas.
• Be sure to rinse the toor dal really well until the water runs clear.
• The dal should be cooked to a soft consistency, such that it can be mashed easily. I’ve given you a pressure cooking time that works for me but if you find that the dal is not cooked enough, just pressure cook it for 2 to 3 minutes more. Some dals that have been on the shelf for too long can be harder to cook – the fresher the dal is, the quicker it cooks. You can also soak the dal for about an hour if you want to speed up the cooking time.

Sambar Vegetables

• There are many different combinations of vegetables you can use for Instant Pot Sambar. The one I’ve given you is my mom’s preferred combination: okra, eggplant, and cucumber (she uses Indian cucumber but I use English cucumber). She also uses drumsticks (also known as moringa).
• You can use your choice of sambar vegetables. The only caveat is that you should use vegetables that have similar pressure cooking times so that they all cook evenly.
• If you prefer a sambar with fewer vegetables and more liquid, just reduce the vegetables to 1 ½ cups in total quantity.
• Instead of pressure cooking the vegetables, you can also use Saute mode until cooked to your liking.
• The vegetables are cooked until soft and well-done.
• Optional: if you’re using okra, you can stir-fry the okra and add it in separately from the other vegetables.

Sambar Powder

The version of the Kerala sambar recipe my mom makes does not usesambar powder. Instead, she uses the following mix, dry roasted in a frying pan and powdered in acoffee grinderor using amortar and pestle:

• 1 Tbspcoriander seeds
• ½ tspfenugreek seeds
• ¼ tspasafoetida powder
• 1 tspKashmiri chili powder(or to taste). You can also use 2whole Kashmiri chilies(or more to taste)

Add these spices in place of the sambar powder. Asafoetida powder is a very pungent spice, so make sure you store it properly sealed. If you’re using coconut, you could also roast these spices with the coconut and then grind to a paste.

Sugar

The addition of sugar in this recipe is recommended because it balances out the flavors: salty, sour, spicy and sweet flavors make a perfect combination. However, you can omit the sugar; there are many recipes for sambar that don’t include sugar.

Tamarind

• I prefer to usehomemade tamarind pasteovertamarind concentrate. But tamarind concentrate works fine too.
• You can purchase tamarind concentrate from an Indian store. Tamarind concentrate is exactly that – concentrated! I like to mix it with water to reconstitute it. If you’re using tamarind concentrate, start out with 1 teaspoon mixed with 1 teaspoon hot water. Add more to taste.
• If you havetamarind pulp, use a 1-inch piece, soak it in ½ cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Break up the lumps and squeeze with your hands. Discard the solids and set the liquid aside. Use this liquid when cooking the vegetables and add 1 cup water instead of 1 ½. Add more tamarind to taste.

Coconut

• The addition of grated coconut in this recipe is an optional step. Even if you don’t add coconut, this Instant Pot Sambar is very flavorful. So feel free to omit. Roasting the coconut does take up to 15 minutes, so you would save that time.
• Grind the coconut to a smooth paste in a mini blender.If you find that the coconut mixture is too thick and isn’t moving, add one tablespoon of water at a time, stirring before trying again. If you add too much water, the coconut won’t blend properly.
• Grated coconut is available in the frozen section at South Asian grocery stores. If you can’t get fresh or frozen coconut, you can usedesiccated coconut (dried grated coconut). Here’s a way torehydrate desiccated coconut. You could even use the Instant Pot to steam it, but make sure the steam release is on VENTING!

I recently purchased aVitamix blenderthat also has amini-blender attachment. It was a pricey investment but I am so happy with it. Does such a good job of blending hard-to-blend items like urad for idli!

Tempering

• The final step in this recipe is the frying of themustard seedsandcurry leaveswhich is known as ‘tempering’.
• I give you the option of using eithervegetable oilorcoconut oilfor tempering. But let me say that if you’re not opposed to using coconut oil, you’ll get an enhanced flavor!
• Make sure you don’t burn the tempering ingredients!

Flavors

Finally, the flavors of this sambar should be balanced with no one flavor overpowering the others. So taste and adjust seasonings as you go.

FAQS

If you’re new to theInstant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.

• Instant PotDUO Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
• Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual

• Eggplant
• Cucumber
• Okra

• Tomato
• Onion
• Toor dal
• Water

• Salt
• Mustard seeds
• Sugar
• Curry leaves
• Shredded coconut (optional)

• Oil
• Tamarind
• Sambar powder
• Turmeric
• Cilantro

Instant Pot Sambar

This Authentic Instant Pot Sambar recipe is an easy vegetable lentil stew recipe from the South Indian state of Kerala. This boldly flavored sambar is normally eaten with the South Indian staples of idli, dosa, vada, or rice but you could also eat it as a soup or stew. Use your choice of vegetables.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 104 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Sodium: 31 mg | Fiber: 18 g | Sugar: 5 g

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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actualingredients that you use.

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