Sambar, a delicious medley of lentils and vegetables, is a spicy south Indian stew traditionally served with rice, idli(rice cakes) and dosa (fried lentil and rice crepes). It's a healthy, flavorful vegetarian dish that is considered a staple of a south Indian meal.

We all love to eat it in some form or another. Mix it with rice or dunk hot idlis in it and add a dollop of chutney on top or have it as a stand-alone dish because it is just that good. Sambar is basically a vegetable chowder with an array of vegetables added to it and topped with a tempering. It is one of those wholesome dishes that has it all - lentils, vegetables, spices, and a slight tang to alleviate the dish to another level. Sambar is synonymous with Tamil Nadu but each state in Southern India has its own version of this dish.

 

Versatile and healthy, the classic combination of idli and sambar has achieved widespread popularity in the country, Today, no matter which Indian city you’re in, you’d be hard-pressed not to come across a plate of idli sambar. 

The origin of Sambar is a topic up for debate considering much of the culinary creations were never documented. But according to K.T. Acharya, the earliest mention of Sambar can be traced back to the 17th century. A certain story states it was in honor of Maratha ruler Shivaji’s son, Sambhaji, that Sambar was prepared and even named after him. Sambar is apparently a version of Amti where the kokum was replaced by tamarind pulp and toor dal was used in place of moong dal. 

Each state and every home in South India has its own take on making Sambar. It can be easily prepared at home using our traditional Sambar Podi. Sambar podi is a flavorful South Indian style coarse textured spices powder, prepared by grinding various type of basic Indian spices like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, dry coconut etc. with chana dal. In South India, it is added with vegetables and lentils while preparing various types of sambars to enhance the flavor.

Buy Authentic Homemade Sambar Podi from our store.