Beetroot Sambar – South Indian Beetroot and Lentils
Recipe for beetroot sambar – a South Indian curry with yellow lentils and beets, best served with plain steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4helping | 20minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 15minutes | 20minutes |
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Ingredients
- 3/4cup toor dal(yellow lentils)
- 2 beetrootsmedium sized
- 2tsp sunflower oil
- 1/2tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2sprigs curry leaves
- 1pinch asafoetida
- tamarindlemon sized ball soaked in water & pulp extracted
- 1.5tsp salt
- 3tsp sambar powderreadymade masala
Instructions
- To prepare beetroot sambar, we need to first cook the beets and lentils. Pressure cook the dal with a pinch of turmeric. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, then soak dal for 30 minutes and boil with 3 cups of water for 30-40 minutes until mushy.
- Pressure cook the beetroot. If you are using a pressure cooker, use the separators and cook dal in one compartment and beets in the other to save time. Cooking time is similar for both tur dal and beetroot.
- Tug off the skins from the cooked beetroot and cut into thick slices and dice.
- Heat the oil in a pot. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds pop, add a pinch of asafoetida and give it a quick stir.
- Add the cooked chopped beets, stir for around for 2 minutes. Add the tamarind extract to this and bring to a simmer.
- Slake the sambar powder in 1/4 cup water and add it to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- Put the cooked dal, salt and boil for 2 minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice and ghee.
Recipe Notes
Notes:
The same sambar recipe can be prepared using radish, carrot, turnip or sweet potato. In case of carrot or sweet potato, the vegetable can be sliced and added raw, allowing it to cook by simmering in tamarind water. Beetroot takes a long time to cook, hence better to use pre-cooked beets.
Check this recipe for a delicious Beetroot Halwa that is my aunt’s specialty!
How To Make Beetroot Halwa || Saffron Trail Kitchen
And these healthy beetroot chips made in the airfryer
