Instant Pot Sambar recipe | Murungakka Sambar

Last updated on February 15th, 2021 at 05:57 am

Instant Pot Sambar recipe for a thick, creamy restaurant-style sambar made using Instant Pot. Loaded with protein from lentils and spiked with spice powder this south Indian vegetable stew is the best with rice, dosas, and idlis!

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Sambar always brings back fond memories and I don’t think I’ve ever gone more than a week without having Sambar, let alone a month really. It is an important curry among South Indian curries and a staple in vegetarian meals and breakfast throughout South India. Sambar is a thick vegetable spiced stew with mashed lentil base and a hint of sweetness and sourness.

It really is the perfect and probably age-old type of stew that appeals to all the palates of a human’s tongue (mostly a South Indian’s). Simply put Sambar has spiciness, sweetness, sourness, and saltiness which can be so satisfying. I make sambar for my family frequently since it is healthy and it adds a significant amount of vegetables to our daily meal and not to forget the protein-rich lentils!

So let’s dive in and see how to make a perfect, authentic sambar…

See also:

INSTANT POT Split Pea Curry recipe

Types of Sambar:

There are lotta types of sambar; for example, sambar made with coconut and sambar made with split Mung lentils. And then there is Yogurt sambar. But those are entirely different sambar varieties. However, you can use this particular Drumsticks Sambar recipe with as a MASTER Instant Pot Sambar recipe and make the following commonly made sambars. Cook time and the methods are the same; I’ve mentioned wherever you need to make slight adjustments.

• Drumstick Sambar
• Raw Mango and drumstick Sambar – mango replaces tomato and tamarind and adds sourness.
• Drumstick and Kohlrabi / Noolkol sambar – this is my second favorite sambar next to Drumstick Sambar.
• Radish Sambar – The only additional step would be to slice and sauté the radishes before adding them to the sambar.
• Potato sambar
• Okra Sambar – like radish you can sauté the okra before adding it to the sambar. Of course, this is an optional step.
• Eggplant/ Brinjal Sambar
• Fenugreek Leaves Sambar – instead of veggies, fenugreek leaves would go in. You could add a bit more of shallots for this sambar.
• Mixed vegetable sambar – add a mix of the vegetables above.
• Shallot Sambar / Vengaya Sambar – This sambar skips all the veggies and just uses shallots as the star vegetable. This is especially wonderful to go with dosas/idlis.

So, Drumsticks:

Everyone is raving about Moringa Leaves but Drumsticks are my personal favorite. And when it comes down to moringa leaves or the pods, I would always go for the drumsticks, I love the unique taste it adds. And apart from the taste, drumsticks are also nutritious. Check this article out about more info on this.

How to perfect a sambar?

A perfect sambar is tender cooked vegetable covered and floating in thick but pourable lentil base incorporated with spices. For this to happen, the lentils should be soft and mushy almost like a paste.

Cooking lentils:

Lentils, as I mentioned earlier, sambar is just perfect when it has completely broken down and it is mashable into a paste-like texture. Essentially the lentils are a thickening agent in a sambar; to hold all the spices and flavor together. So ensure to cook the lentils to a soft consistency beforehand. The total time still remains at a maximum of 20 minutes, it is that you have to use the Instant Pot twice and wash the bowl once.

See also:

The BEST South Indian Mushroom Curry recipe

I have tried making sambar with uncooked lentils, it was not the expected result; the lentils were visibly holding its’ shape. So I then tried soaking the lentils for a couple of hours and then adding them to the Instant Pot while making Sambar. But it wasn’t still perfect and even if it had, I would still prefer cooking them beforehand instead cos remembering to soak ’em is hard for me.

Fresh vegetables:

This goes without saying, but the vegetables play an important role in the resultant flavor of the sambar. The fresher the vegetables are, the higher the flavor of this stew. You would think of using old vegetables that you have lying around in your refrigerator for over a week, but the flavor has already gone out of those veggies. Keep those aside for making vegetable stock and go with fresh veggies for sambar, always.

Adding the right vegetables:

At any point, if I crave sambar, the default sambar I would crave for is one with Drumstick. Any other vegetable is just an accessory, this is just my personal opinion cos I love Drumsticks. That is why there are so many varieties of sambar, each vegetable gives a unique flavor.

See also:

INSTANT POT Mushroom Pilaf with Coconut Milk

The right amount of sourness:

In some parts of South India, tamarind is not mandatory. People in those parts like their sambar without the sourness whereas in other parts of South India they prefer to add kokum in place of tamarind. I suggest you go with adding tamarind, cos then the Sambar becomes a complete amalgamation of flavors. There are two ingredients that add sourness to a sambar. One is tomato and another is tamarind paste.

Serving Suggestions:

I like Sambar with Dosas more; this combo is my personal favorite. However, I make it to go with soft-cooked steamed idlis or to go with rice. To serve it with dosas/idlis, an accompanying coconut chutney along with this Drumstick Sambar would be a complete breakfast. To serve it with rice, just pour some piping hot drumstick sambar over hot rice, drizzle some ghee (if you’re not a vegan) and you have your bowl of nutritious lunch. In South Indian households, a perfect lunch would consist of rice, sambar, stir-fried veggies, rasam (a clear soup), some yogurt, appalams (sundried and fried flatbread) and spicy Indian pickle.

Nutrition in Sambar:

This Instant Pot Sambar would serve 6 people and it is 251 calories per serving with 11 grams of protein. That with the nutrition of the Drumsticks or whatever vegetable you choose to use, this Instant Pot Drumstick is pretty healthy.

How to store sambar:

This Instant Pot Sambar is best to be eaten in a day. I don’t recommend storing this in the fridge or freezer for more than a day. If you’ be having this after a few hours, close the Instant Pot with its lid, tightly or transfer the sambar to a bowl, and store in the fridge. Reheat on stovetop or microwave; sprinkling some water if the sambar has thickened. All this is because lentils tend to go bad quickly and for the same reason sambars should be packed carefully for lunch but if you live in a cold country you can pack it for lunch.

See also:

Honey Almond Cake recipe

Special Diets:

Sambar is vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free, and gluten-free. It is also a low GI dish with the amount of lentil and vegetable that goes into it Also, it is a great source of vegetarian protein.

How to make Instant Pot Sambar / Murungakka Sambar:

To get the smooth texture where you can’t visibly see any lentils and the sambar itself is thick but pourable, the most important thing is to cook lentils until it’s mashable consistency.

Cooking the lentils:

These are the ingredients you’ll need to cook the lentils:

• Split Peas / Toor Dal – 3/4 cup
• Water – 3 cups

To make super soft paste-like lentils in the sambar, there are two ways. The first method, soak the lentils and then make a one-pot one-go sambar. The second method, cook the lentils to the right consistency and make the sambar in the instant pot. Actually, the second method seems to be a workaround but I prefer this method for the texture and I don’t like to see any lentils after.

This recipe here uses the second method:

• Wash and drain 3/4 cup of split Pigeon Peas (Known as Toor Dal in Hindi and Thuvaram paruppu in Tamil).
• Tip the pigeon peas into the instant pot. To the pot, pour in 3 cups of water. Close the instant pot and seal it. Pressure Cook for 10 minutes.
• Let the pressure release using Quick Release; using a potato masher mash down the lentils. Transfer the lentils to a bowl and wash the Instant Pot Inner Bowl.

Making Instant Pot Sambar (Drumstick):

These are the ingredients to make the Sambar:

• Coconut Oil – 3 tbsp
• Whole Black Mustard Seeds – 3/4 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds – 3/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
• Fresh Green Chilli – 1
• Fresh Curry Leaves – 2 sprigs
• Shallots / Pearl Onions – 1 cup, peeled
• Tomato – 1 medium, preferably heirloom
• Rock Salt – 1 tbsp
• Drumsticks – 3
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
• Sambar Powder – 2 taps, heaped
• Tamarind Paste – 1 tsp
• Water – 2 cups
• Cilantro leaves to garnish

Prep work:

• While the Pigeon pea lentil is getting cooked, chop the vegetables you want to use in the sambar. I’m using drumsticks here.
• Chop the drumstick to 2-inch bits.
• Peel and halve 1 cup of shallots. Slit one green chili. Also, chop 1 medium-sized tomato.
• Wash the Instant Pot bowl, wipe the water using a kitchen towel and place it back in.

Pressure Cooking:

• Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ mode for 15 minutes.
• Add 3 tbsp coconut oil to the instant pot.
• Once the oil is hot enough, add mustard, fenugreek seeds, and the cumin seeds. Let it splutter.
• Add curry leaves, slit green chillies, and halved shallots. Sauté until the shallots begin to brown on the edges or are translucent.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp rock salt, and wait until it turns mushy.
• Now, add the chopped drumstick and sauté for a few minutes.
• Then add the Asafoetida powder, Sambar Powder, and turmeric powder. Mix it through.
• Finally, add the cooked lentils, the tamarind paste. and 2 cups of water. Stir to mix.
• Close the Instant Pot and SEAL it. Cook in PRESSURE COOK mode for 6-10 minutes. 6 minutes for freshly harvested Drumsticks and 10 minutes for 2-day (or more) old drumstick.
• Once done, release the pressure with Quick Release, open the lid and sprinkle some coriander leaves for garnish.
• Serve hot with rice or dosa or idlis!

Recipe Source: This is a family recipe

Here’s a video recipe:

Notes:

• USE THE SERVING SIZE ADJUSTOR ABOVE TO ALTER THE INGREDIENT MEASUREMENTS FOR AS MANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU LIKE.
• I use a 6-quart Instant Pot. Cook time may vary for other models/sizes.
• A good sambar needs almost smooth lentils as a base. So it is important that you cook and mash them.
• The cook time is for fresh Drumsticks, i.e. fresh from the tree. If you’re using any storebought drumstick that was harvested 2 days before or more, increase the sambar’s cook time to 10 minutes instead of 6 minutes.
• If you prefer a sweetish sambar, add 1 carrot along with the drumsticks. Carrots will add a sweet taste to the sambar.
• If you’re new to Sambar, you can halve the number of spices like mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, asafoetida, and sambar powder. 
• Also, if you want a less spicy sambar, go with 1 tsp Sambar powder and you might wanna skip adding the slit chilies. If you like a spicier sambar, add up to 3 tsp Sambar powder.

Made sambar using this recipe? Lemme know your thoughts in the comments below! I’d love to know how it turned out 🙂