Dal•Sambar

Radish Sambar

February 16, 2020 by Senthil Sadasivam Recipe rating:
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Some avoid radish as it is believed to cause gas. But if you are a die-hard radish fan like me, nothing will stop you from making and enjoying radish dishes like Radish (Mooli) Paratha (carom seeds are added to reduce gas), or the Radish Sambar (whole pepper corns are added to keep the tummy calm).

Radish sambar has that pleasant fragrance when you cook it, the whole street knows what sambar is boiling in your kitchen. Recipe wise, it is the same sambar recipe, except that you add about half a tablespoon of whole pepper corns during tadka, and make sure you bite into and eat those pepper corns while enjoying the sambar (don’t throw them away and then complain about gas).

I also absolutely love an awesome carrot and radish “combination” sambar first tasted at a friend’s house many years ago, which has since become a favorite dish at my home, you can read about it here.

Radish Sambar
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Radish Sambar

An awesome tasting fragrant sambar that is sure to tingle your taste buds and make you a die-hard radish fan like me

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Dal, Radish, Sambar
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Senthil Sadasivam

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Radish peeled, sliced
  • 2 tbsp Sambar powder Sambar powder substitute given below
  • Tamarind juice to taste

To pressure cook dal

  • 1 cup Tool dal
  • 1 Tomato
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Hing powder
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil

For tadka

  • 1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp Methi seeds
  • 1 Green chili sliced
  • 1/2 tbsp Jeera seeds
  • 1 Red chili
  • 1 sprig Curry leaves
  • 1 cup Onion (or shallots) sliced
  • 1 cup Tomatoes chopped

Sambar powder substitute

  • 1 tbsp Chili powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder

To garnish

  • 1/4 cup Coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

  1. Wash and peel the radish and cut into quarter inch thick slices as shown in the recipe picture.

  2. Wash and pressure cook dal for three whistles with 1 tomato, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp each turmeric powder, hing powder and sesame oil with three cups water.  Mash the dal and keep it separate.
  3. On a big pot, heat oil and add mustard seeds.  When they splutter, add methi seeds and let them brown slightly.  Quickly add jeera seeds, and after few seconds, add 1 red chili and fry for some time.  Add curry leaves, then sliced onion and green chili and fry well.

  4. Add enough water, radish slices, 2 tbsp. sambar powder, salt and mix well and cover and cook for about 10 mins.

  5. Add mashed dal to the pot, mix well, adjust salt level and cover and cook for another 10 mins or until the vegetable pieces are soft and tender.

  6. Add tamarind juice and let it cook for another couple mins.

  7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy with hot rice, homemade ghee, a spicy side dish fry (Potato, Plantain or Suran) and a papad!

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