Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe
User Reviews
5
30 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
30 mins
-
Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
187 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe
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Arachuvitta Sambar is a traditional South Indian lentil stew combining pressure-cooked pigeon pea lentils with a flavorful vegetable and tamarind broth spiced by a freshly roasted spice and coconut paste. The dish features tender cooked vegetables, tangy tamarind, and fragrant sesame oil, yielding a nourishing, balanced stew with a blend of tangy, savory, and mildly spicy notes.
Description
The recipe begins by pressure cooking pigeon pea lentils with turmeric until soft, then mashing them for a creamy base. Separately, tamarind is soaked in hot water to extract a tart pulp. A dry roasted blend of red chilies, coriander, fenugreek, chana dal, and black pepper is ground with fresh grated coconut and water to form a thick paste. Vegetables such as ash gourd, carrot, and shallots are cooked with mustard seeds, dried chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida, and turmeric in sesame oil. The tamarind pulp, spice paste, cooked lentils, and seasoning are combined and simmered, producing a richly textured stew with earthy, bright, and spiced flavors characteristic of sambar.
This sambar pairs well with rice or idlis and can include additional vegetables per preference. The use of sesame oil extracted from raw sesame seeds gives a distinctive flavor profile, distinguishing it from toasted sesame oil variants.
The notes suggest substituting tamarind pulp with packaged tamarind paste and recommend neutral oils if sesame oil is unavailable. Various vegetables can be added to extend the stew.
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Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking Lentils
- ½ cup pigeon pea lentils (tur dal or arhar dal) - 110 grams
- 2 cups water - for pressure cooking
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon neutral cooking oil optional, generic cooking oil
Cooking Veggies
- 2 chicken drumsticks
- 250 grams ash gourd (white pumpkin) or about 1 cup of diced ash gourd
- 1 carrot - medium to large
- 3 to 4 shallot or 1 medium size onion - optional
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (gingelly oil)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chili
- 1 curry leaves or 12 to 15 curry leaves, sprig
- 1 asafoetida hing, pinch
- 1 to 1.5 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Spices & Coconut Paste
- 4 to 5 dried red chili
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon chana dal (husked and split Bengal gram)
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (gingelly oil)
- 4 tablespoons coconut fresh grated
- 5 to 6 tablespoons water - for grinding
For Tamarind Pulp
- 1.5 tablespoons tamarind seedless, tightly packed
- ½ cup water hot
Instructions
Pressure cooking lentils
- First, rinse tuvar dal a few times and add them to a 2 to 3 litre pressure cooker. Also add turmeric powder and 2 cups water. Stir well and pressure cook the lentils for 8 to 9 whistles on medium to medium high heat.
- When the pressure settles down naturally, open the lid of the cooker and mash the dal with a wired whisk or spoon.
Preparing tamarind pulp
- While the dal is getting pressure cooked, take ½ cup of hot water and tightly packed tamarind in a small bowl. Soak the tamarind in the hot water for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Later, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the bowl. Keep aside.
Making Spices & Coconut Paste
- Next, heat sesame oil (not the Asian variety of sesame oil) in a small pan. Keep the heat to a low. Add dried red chilies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, chana dal and whole black pepper.
- Stir and roast the spices on low heat.
- When the spices become fragrant, switch off the heat and keep the pan down. Allow the roasted spices to cool down.
- Take the roasted spices in a chutney grinder or a wet grinder jar. Add fresh grated coconut.
- Grind to a smooth paste with 5 to 6 tablespoons water. Add more water if required while grinding. Keep this ground sambar masala aside.
Making Arachuvitta Sambar
- Next, heat sesame oil in a pot or pan. Then, add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Once the mustard seeds crackle, add dried red chilies and asafoetida. Stir and sauté till the red chilies change color. Don't burn them.
- Now, add curry leaves and drumsticks (chopped), diced ash gourd and diced carrot. If you want to add pearl onions or regular onions or shallots, then sauté them with curry leaves till they turn translucent. Add the mixed vegetables after you sauté the onions. Stir and mix very well.
- Add the tamarind pulp and turmeric powder to the vegetables. Stir well. If you don't want a sour taste in the vegetables, add the tamarind pulp later.
- Next, add 1 cup water and salt. While the vegetables are cooking, if the water is less, do add more water.
- Cover the pan and simmer on medium to high heat till the vegetables are cooked.
- In 20 to 25 minutes, the vegetables will be cooked.
- Then, add the mashed dal and the freshly ground sambar masala.
- Stir very well. If the Arachuvitta Sambar looks very thick, then add some more water. If thin, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons rice flour to thicken it.
- Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more on medium to high heat.
- Serve the Arachuvitta Sambar hot with steamed rice, idli, dosa or any South Indian snack. If you prefer, you can also garnish it with some chopped coriander leaves.
Notes
- Additional diced vegetables (about 1.75 to 2 cups) can be included to enhance volume and texture.
- Packaged tamarind paste can substitute for tamarind pulp; adjust amount to taste for tanginess.
- Use raw sesame seed oil as specified; avoid toasted sesame oil to preserve intended flavor.
- Neutral cooking oils are acceptable alternatives if sesame oil is unavailable.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
187kcal
(9%)
Carbohydrates
18g
(6%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Sodium
609mg
(25%)
Potassium
300mg
(6%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
2848IU
(57%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
30mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin C
55mg
(61%)
Vitamin E
1mg
Vitamin K
5µg
Calcium
81mg
(8%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
330µg
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Magnesium
35mg
(9%)
Phosphorus
82mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 187 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 187kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Sodium | 609mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 300mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 2848IU | 57% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 30mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 55mg | 61% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 5µg | |
| Calcium | 81mg | 8% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 330µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 35mg | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 82mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
30 reviews
Excellent
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