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Instant Pot Vegetable Sambar (South Indian Lentils)
4.9 from 420 votes

Instant Pot Vegetable Sambar (South Indian Lentils)

Instant Pot Vegetable Sambar is a lentil-based South Indian stew featuring toor dal, assorted vegetables including pumpkin, carrot, baby eggplant, and drumsticks, seasoned with sambar masala, tamarind paste, and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and optional green chili. It’s a hearty, spiced dish with a rich lentil base and soft vegetables.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 305 kcal
Course: Main Course, Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup split pigeon pea washed, aka toor dal
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 1/2 onion medium size, about 1 cup, chopped
  • 2 tomato medium size, chopped
  • 4 teaspoon Sambar masala
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, aka Imli
  • 4 cup water
  • cilantro finely chopped, to garnish, leaves
Tempering
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds aka rai
  • 6 leaves curry leaves aka Kadi Patta
  • 1 pinch asafoetida optional, skip for gluten-free, aka hing
  • 1 green chili pepper optional
Vegetables
  • 1 cup pumpkin about 120 gms, cut in medium sized pieces
  • 1 carrot cut into small pieces
  • 3 baby eggplant cut into 4 pieces each
  • 6 pieces chicken drumsticks 2-inch pieces

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start the instant pot in sauté mode and heat oil in it. Add all the tempering ingredients.
  2. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the chopped onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes, sambar powder and salt. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add all the vegetables, toor dal and water to the instant pot. Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode for 8 minutes at high pressure with vent in sealing position. (Note: you can also follow the pot-in-pot method mentioned in notes)
  5. When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Stir in the tamarind paste. Stir the sambar so it is mixed well.
  6. Garnish with cilantro and sambar is ready to be served.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
  1. Follow the same steps as above in a stovetop pressure cooker. Cook on medium-high heat for 3 whistles, then turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally.
  2. Stir in the tamarind paste with the sambar so it is mixed well. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Notes

  • Drumsticks, the fruit of the moringa tree, add distinct flavor; buy frozen if fresh unavailable or skip if needed.
  • If tamarind paste is unavailable, soak seedless tamarind in water and microwave briefly to make a substitute.
  • Make sambar powder at home by grinding spices including red chilies, coriander, fenugreek, cumin, black pepper, and turmeric if commercial powder is not available.
  • Add jaggery or sugar after cooking to adjust sweetness according to taste.
  • Use the pot-in-pot method in the Instant Pot to cook vegetables separately for firmer texture, then combine with smooth lentils after pressure cooking.

Nutrition Information

Calories 305kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 51g (17%) Protein 16g (32%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 1237mg (52%) Potassium 1185mg (25%) Fiber 23g (92%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 5700IU (114%) Vitamin C 80mg (89%) Calcium 85mg (9%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 305

% Daily Value*

Calories 305kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 51g 17%
Protein 16g 32%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 1237mg 52%
Potassium 1185mg 25%
Fiber 23g 92%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 5700IU 114%
Vitamin C 80mg 89%
Calcium 85mg 9%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.