Drumstick & Green Mango Sambar

Sambar is a dish thats inseparable from the south indians. We eat sambar alot and almost everyday. We even crave for sambar rice at times. 😂 

Sambar is nothing but toor dal cooked with some lovely spices to make it more flavourful. This sambar gets an amazing flavour from the addition of drumstick and green mango. 

Sambar can be made with the addition of any vegetable of your choice but this combo is an all time favourite of mine. The sourness of mango and the flavour of drumstick is unbeatable. 

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal (soaked) 
½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp asafoetida 
½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 cups water
1 large onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
2 drumstick
2 green mango (cubed) 
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp sambar masala (optional) 

Salt to taste 

Seasoning

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp ghee
2 tsp mustard seeds

Few curry leaves 

1 tsp tamarind paste (see notes) 

METHOD 

Switch on the instant pot in saute mode. 

Once hot add the oil and ghee to the pot along with mustard seeds and red chilli. Let it splutter. 

Add in the chopped onions and cook for a minute then add the chopped tomatoes along with the curry leaves and cook for couple of minutes. 

Next add the spices (chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, sambar masala and salt to taste) and mix well. 

Now add in the drumstick (i used frozen) and give it a mix. 

Next add in the soaked toor dal along with ½ tsp of fenugreek seeds and give it a mix. 

Add in enough water to immerse the vegetable and dal. (REMEMBER, while cooking in instant pot add only needed water as the water level will not reduce while cooking)

Cover the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. 

Once the pressure pin drops open the lid and give it a mix. Check for salt and adjust. 

Add the cubed green mango pieces and tamarind paste if required (see notes) and bring the sambar to a boil before adding the coriander leaves. 

Serve hot with steamed rice. 

Enjoy!!!

Note

* If your green mango is sour enough, dont add the tamarind paste.

* Dont cook for long after adding the green mango.

* This sambar tends to thicken up after some time so add water accordingly.

* The sambar powder is totally optional. With or without the sambar tastes great and its a very flavourful sambar.