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South Indian Drumstick Sambar with Spiced Tamarind Broth

Name: South Indian Drumstick Sambar with Spiced Tamarind Broth
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 93 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: Toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), 1 cup, rinsed; Water, 4 cups; Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon; Drumsticks (Moringa), 2, cut into 2-inch pieces; Eggplant, 1 small, diced; Carrot, 1, peeled and chopped; Onion, 1 small, quartered; Tomato, 1 medium, chopped; Tamarind, lemon-sized ball; Warm water, 1 cup; Sambar powder, 2 tablespoons; Red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon; Salt, to taste; Oil, 2 tablespoons; Mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon; Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon; Asafoetida, a pinch; Curry leaves, 1 sprig; Dried red chilies, 2, broken

A classic South Indian dish, this sambar is filled with nutritious vegetables and lentils, rich in spices and tangy tamarind flavors.

4.9(676 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·February 1, 2026

South Indian Drumstick Sambar with Spiced Tamarind Broth — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

23 min

Cook

1 h 10 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Sambar Base

For the Vegetables

For the Tamarind Paste

For the Spice Mix

For Tempering

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 276 kcal
Protein: 14.5 g
Carbs: 37.63 g
Fat: 7.75 g
Fiber: 8.63 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 1103 kcal
Protein: 58 g
Carbs: 150.5 g
Fat: 31 g
Fiber: 34.5 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
Toor dal (yellow pigeon peas) 1 cup, rinsed	650	50	108	2	20
Water 4 cups	0	0	0	0	0
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon	2	0	0	0	0
Drumsticks (Moringa) 2, cut into 2-inch pieces	40	3	6	0	4
Eggplant 1 small, diced	20	1	5	0	2
Carrot 1, peeled and chopped	25	1	6	0	2
Onion 1 small, quartered	30	1	7	0	1
Tomato 1 medium, chopped	22	1	5	0	1.5
Tamarind lemon-sized ball	20	0	5	0	1
Warm water 1 cup	0	0	0	0	0
Sambar powder 2 tablespoons	30	1	5	1	1
Red chili powder 1/2 teaspoon	2	0	0	0	0.5
Salt to taste	0	0	0	0	0
Oil 2 tablespoons	240	0	0	27	0
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon	5	0	1	0	0.5
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon	7	0	1	1	0.5
Asafoetida a pinch	1	0	0	0	0
Curry leaves 1 sprig	1	0	0	0	0
Dried red chilies 2, broken	8	0	1.5	0	0.5

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Vegetables

1
Cut Drumsticks
Wash and cut the drumsticks into 2-inch lengths.
Tip: Ensure the drumsticks are tender before integrating into the sambar.
2
Dice Vegetables
Dice the eggplant and carrots.
3
Chop Onion & Tomato
Chop the tomato and quarter the onion.

Preparing the Tamarind Paste

1
Soak Tamarind
Soak the tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes.
Tip: Use fresh tamarind for a more pronounced tangy flavor.
2
Extract Paste
Squeeze and strain to extract a thick paste.
3
Set Aside
Set the tamarind paste aside.

How to Make South Indian Drumstick Sambar with Spiced Tamarind Broth

Total time: 1 h 33 min · Yields 4 servings

1
Boiling the Lentils
Cook the toor dal with water and turmeric until soft and mushy, about 20-25 minutes.
2
Simmering the Vegetables
Add chopped vegetables to the cooked dal, along with the tamarind paste, sambar powder, red chili powder, and salt. Let it simmer until vegetables are tender.
3
Tempering
Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add asafoetida, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. Pour this tempering over the simmering sambar.