20-Minute Mixed Vegetable Sambar with Tamarind Extract – Easy Pressure Cooker

20-Minute Mixed Vegetable Sambar with Tamarind Extract – Easy Pressure Cooker

Dolce Flav

Servings

4

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Category

Tamarind

Cook toor dal until soft, add a colorful mix of vegetables, then pour in ½ cup tamarind extract with sambar powder and spices for authentic tang. Pressure-cook briefly so the veggies turn tender but vibrant, finish with a sizzling mustard–curry leaf tempering, and serve hot with steamed rice, idli, or dosa. Adapted from a high-ranking Hebbar’s Kitchen recipe that explicitly lists tamarind extract and provides the prep/cook times and yield.

Ingredients

    For the sambar

    • ½ cup toor dal, rinsed
    • ¼ tsp turmeric + ½ tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1½ cups water
    • ½ onion, petals
    • 1 tomato, cubed
    • 1 carrot, chopped
    • 5 green beans, chopped
    • 1 small potato, cubed
    • A few drumstick (moringa) pieces
    • 2 small brinjal/eggplant, chopped
    • A few curry leaves
    • 1 green chili, slit
    • 2½ cups water
    • ½ cup tamarind extract
    • 2 tbsp sambar powder
    • 1 tsp jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the tempering (tadka)

    • 2 tsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 dried red chilies, broken
    • Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
    • A few curry leaves

    Directions

    1. Pressure-cook the dal: Add toor dal, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp oil, and 1½ cups water to a pressure cooker; cook until soft (about 5 whistles). Whisk to a smooth, creamy base.

    2. Add vegetables & simmer: Stir in onion, tomato, carrot, beans, potato, drumstick, brinjal, curry leaves, and green chili with 2½ cups water; bring to a boil.

    3. Flavor with tamarind extract: Pour in ½ cup tamarind extract, sambar powder, jaggery, ½ tsp turmeric, and salt; mix well.

    4. Cook to tender perfection: Pressure-cook for 1 whistle so vegetables turn tender and the dal infuses with tangy spices.

    5. Finish with tempering: Heat oil; splutter mustard seeds, add urad dal, dried chilies, a pinch of hing, and curry leaves. Pour over the hot sambar, stir, and serve immediately with rice, idli, or dosa.