Vengaya Sambar / Onion Sambar Recipe

Vengaya Sambar is a flavorful sambar made with Toor dal (pigeon pea), pearl onions or shallots and freshly ground sambar masala. It is one of the popular sambar variety from the South Indian state of Tamilnadu. Vengaya Sambar is easy to make and usually served with steamed rice but also goes well with South Indian breakfast dishes like idli, dosa, medu vada, etc.

I love sambar to the core but I add many veggies to it like drumstick, pumpkin, onions etc. This Vengaya sambar is different from other sambar varieties as it has a distinct flavor coming from the pearl onions and no other veggies are added to this sambar. Also, fresh homemade sambar masala made by roasting and grinding the lentils and spices adds to the taste of this sambar. This sambar does not have coconut either. This Vengaya sambar is mildly tangy and spicy in taste and the little amount of added jaggery balances the tangy and spicy flavors very well.

Now you all must be wondering why am I posting an onion sambar recipe during Navratri festival. Actually, it is month-end again and the time to post a region Indian recipe for the gourmet facebook group, Shhhhh cooking Secretly Challenge. In this group, each month we select an Indian state depending upon the alphabetical order and partners are assigned for the challenge. The chosen partners then exchange a set of secret ingredients among themselves and cook a dish with those ingredients from the regional cuisine of that month. The other group members who are not aware of the secret ingredients, then take turns to guess the ingredients just by looking at the pic of the dish. Doesn't this all sound interesting! If you are interested in joining this exciting group, leave a message in the comment section below.

                         

For this month's challenge, we had to cook a dish from the South Indian state of Tamilnadu. I was so glad to be paired with Priya Iyer of Thephotowali . Priya is a versatile blogger and her blog is home to many traditional South Indian and Gujarati recipes. I love her writing style and crisp clear photography. If you love traveling, her travel blogs are worth reading. Priya gave me mustard seeds and tamarind as my two secret ingredients and i made this flavorful Vengaya sambar using the two secret ingredients. In return, i gave her chana dal and dry red chilies and she made Vendakkai More Kozhambu, ladyfinger in yogurt gravy, yet another flavorful dish from Tamil cuisine.

                                

This post is also added to the 131 My legume Love Affair hosted by my dear friend and fellow blogger, Sasmita. Conceptualized by Susan and carried forward to date by Lisa.

                                       

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Toor dal / Pigeon pea
• 1 cup pearl onions/shallots
• 1 teaspoon tamarind
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon jaggery
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

For Sambar powder: (Roast and Powder)

• 1 teaspoon ghee/ oil
• 3-4 dry red chilies
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon chana dal
• 1 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• a fat pinch of asafoetida

To temper:

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 green chilies slit (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Method:

1. To begin with making the Vengaya sambar, at first rinse and soak the Toor day for 1/2 an hour. This step is optional but i would recommend it as it not only saves time and fuel but also ensures the dal cooks very well. Next, pressure cook the dal with 1 cup water,1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida for 3-4 whistles and then simmer for another 10 minutes.

2. On cooking, the dal should be soft and easily mashable. Once the dal is cooled, mash the dal with the back of a spoon and keep aside until use.

3. By the time the dal is getting cooked, soak the tamarind in hot water for 5-10 minutes to extract the pulp. Extract the tamarind juice in a cup of water and discard the fiber. Also, peel the pearl onions and keep aside in water until use.

4. Next, we will prepare the sambar powder. For that in a wok heat 1 teaspoon ghee and add the chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, broken dry red chilies, and fenugreek seeds. Roast well until aromatic on low flame. Add asafoetida in the end, give a toss and transfer this roasted masala to a plate to cool down. Once it has cooled down, transfer the ingredients to a grinder jar and pulse to get a fine powder without adding water.

5. In the same wok, add 1 teaspoon ghee and add mustard seeds to it. Once the seeds splutter add curry leaves, asafoetida and split green chilies. Next, add the pearl onions and fry them for 2-3 minutes on medium flame until they become translucent.

6. To this, add tamarind water followed by 1 more cup of water, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt and bring to a boil. Continue boiling the mixture for 3-4 minutes or until the onions become soft and tender.

7. To this, add the mashed cooked dal. Give a good stir and more water if required to adjust the desired consistency. Once it boils, add the freshly ground sambar masala to the sambar. Let it boil again.

8. Add crushed jaggery and cook for another 1 minute and put off the flame. Garnish the sambar with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice or breakfast items like idi, dosa or medu vada.

Recipe Notes:

• I have referred the recipe from here.
• You can make this sambar using normal onions if the pearl onions are not available.
• Make sure you do not burn the lentils and spices while roasting as the flavor of the sambar depends on this podi.
• The sambar thickens further after addition of freshly ground spice mix so adjust the consistency of sambar accordingly.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section below. Follow us on #Facebook, #Instagram, #Twitter, #Pinterest and #Google+ for more recipes and new updates. 

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