Mullangi Sambar – a simple South Indian curry made with radish, lentils and spices.
Sambar is a preferred dish from South Indian cuisine. It’s a flavourful and nutritious curry /stew made using lentils, vegetables and spices. Sambar is a staple dish of southern India and is ready in a different way in numerous states of south India. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, sambar is usually made with tuvar dal and vegetables whereas in Karnataka, coconut is used to make sambar.
Sambar powder is a crucial condiment in making sambar. Sambar powder is a mix of spices that offers distinctive flavour to sambar. Sambar is a flexible dish and might be served with number of accompaniments. It may well be served with rice, idli, dosa, vada, upma etc.
About Mullangi Sambar
Mullangi Sambar is a variation of the classic South Indian sambar and is made with radish as a substitute of other commonly used vegetables in sambar. The radishes add a singular flavour and texture to the sambar. Mullangi Sambar is especially popular in Tamil Nadu. It pairs well with rice alongwith papad and pickle on the side. It may well be served with idli, dosa, vada etc.
To make Mullangi sambar, chopped radish is cooked alongwith onion and tomato, to which tamarind pulp, cooked, mashed tuvar dal and sambar powder is added. It’s finally tempered with mustard seeds, udad dal, curry leaves and dry red chillies.
List of ingredients to make Mullangi Sambar
Vegetables : Radish, onion, tomato
Spices : mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds (methi), turmeric powder, sambar powder
Lentils : Tuvar dal (split pigeon peas)
Other ingredients : curry leaves, asafoetida (hing), oil , tamarind, jaggery, salt
Tempering : oil, mustard seeds, udad dal, curry leaves, dry red chillies
Step-wise recipe with pictures
Wash and soak split pigeon peas (tuvar dal) for 30 to 40 minutes.
Soak a lemon sized ball of tamarind in half a cup of water for half-hour. After half-hour, squeeze the tamarind together with your fingers and mash. Strain and keep tamarind pulp aside.
After 40 minutes, drain the water from soaked dal and transfer it to a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt. Pressure cook for 4 to five whistles.
Open the pressure cooker when the steam escapes completely. Whisk cooked dal and keep aside.
Wash 2 radishes. Chop the leaves. The leaves might be used to make sabzi or paratha.
Peel the radishes and cut them into circles. Keep chopped radish aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, methi seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
Add chopped onion and saute.
Next, add chopped tomato and saute for a minute.
Add chopped radish and blend.
Add ½ tsp turmeric powder and ½ cup water. Mix well. Cover and cook till the radish is cooked.
Add tamarind pulp, cooked dal and sambar powder. Mix well.
Now, add a small piece of jaggery, salt as required and a few water to regulate the consistency of the sambar.
Cover and cook for two minutes.
For tempering, heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, udad dal, curry leaves and dry red chillies.
When the ingredients start sizzling, pour it into the sambar.
Serve Mullangi sambar with rice or idli/dosa.
Recipe Card
Mullangi Sambar | Radish Sambar
an easySouth Indian curry made with radish, lentils and spices.
- 2 radishes (mullangi/mooli)
- ½ cup split pigeon peas (tuvar dal)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small tomato, chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
- a sprig of curry leaves
- a pinch of asafoetida
- 4 tsp sambar powder
- a lemon sized ball of tamarind
- a small piece of jaggery
- salt to taste
For tempering
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp udad dal
- few curry leaves
- 2 dry red chillies
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Wash and soak split pigeon peas (tuvar dal) for 30 to 40 minutes.
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Soak a lemon sized ball of tamarind in half a cup of water for half-hour.
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After half-hour, squeeze the tamarind together with your fingers and mash. Strain and keep tamarind pulp aside.
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After 40 minutes, drain the water from soaked dal and transfer it to a pressure cooker.
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Add 2 cups of water, ½ tsp turmeric powder and salt.
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Pressure cook for 4 to five whistles.
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Open the pressure cooker when the steam escapes completely.
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Whisk cooked dal and keep aside.
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Wash 2 radishes. Chop off the leaves and keep aside. The leaves might be used to make sabzi or paratha.
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Peel the radishes and cut them into circles. Keep chopped radish aside.
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Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
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Add mustard seeds, methi seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
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Add chopped onion and saute.
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Next, add chopped tomato and saute for a minute.
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Add chopped radish and blend.
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Add ½ tsp turmeric powder and ½ cup water. Mix well.
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Cover and cook till the radish is cooked.
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Add tamarind pulp,cooked dal and sambar powder. Mix well.
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Now, add a small piece of jaggery, salt as required and a few water to regulate the consistency of the sambar.
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Cover and cook for two minutes.
-
For tempering, heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan.
-
Add mustard seeds, udad dal, curry leaves and dry red chillies.
-
When the ingredients start sizzling, pour it into the sambar.
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Serve Mullangi sambar with rice or idli/dosa.
Recipe Video
Related Recipes
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Lentil based sambar
Radish Recipes
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Red Radish Sabzi
Palak Mooli Saag
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