Coimbatore Style Drumstick Sambar Recipe

A traditional recipe from Coimbatore, this sambar has drumstick, chopped onion and tomatoes cooked with toor dal. It has a strong flavour from spices like cumin seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida, coriander and is laced with the texture of coconut oil with dal. Serve Coimbatore Style Sambar along with Steamed Rice and Poriyal.

Coimbatore Style Drumstick Sambar Recipe
7001 ratings.

Coimbatore Style Sambar Recipe is a traditional recipe that is famous from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. This recipe has a strong flavour from spices like cumin seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida, coriander and is laced with the texture of coconut with dal.

This sambar recipe is cooked with drumsticks, onions and tomatoes. Perfect for weekdays, it is a comforting recipe that you can make on a weekday.

Did you know Drumstick pods helps to build strong bones, it is very good for pregnant women also. Drumstick pods which are known as moringa in local language is rich in calcium, Iron and vitamins. They are also have properties such purifying the blood, improves digestion and protects against infection.

Serve Coimbatore Style Sambar Recipe with Steamed Rice Recipe and Capsicum Usili Recipe for a complete weekday meal.

If you like this recipe, try more Sambar recipes that you can make for Indian Dinner:

  1. Beetroot Sambar Recipe (A Tangy Beetroot Lentil Curry)
  2. Thakkali Vengayam Sambar Recipe (Tomato Onion Sambar)
  3. Nuggekai Kharbyaali Recipe (North Karnataka Spiced Drumstick Sambar)

Prep in

15 M

Cooks in

30 M

Total in

45 M

Makes:

4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Onion , chopped
  • 1 Drumstick , chopped to 2 inch long
  • 1 Tomato
  • 1 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal) , soaked for 10 minutes and cooked
  • 2 sprig Curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1/4 tablespoon Methi Seeds (Fenugreek Seeds)
  • Salt , to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
  • 4 Dry Red Chillies , soaked
  • 1/4 cup Fresh coconut , grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)
  • Gingelly oil , for tadka
  • 2 teaspoons Ghee

How to make Coimbatore Style Drumstick Sambar Recipe

  1. To begin making the Coimbatore Style Sambar Recipe, prep all the ingredients first. Soak the arhar dal in required water for about 15 to 20 minutes.

  2. Once the lentils are soaked, drain the water, add the dal in a pressure with 2 cups water and pressure cook for about 4 whistle. Let the pressure release naturally. 

  3. In a saucepan, add drumstick, onions, tomatoes with sufficient water on high heat for about 10 minutes or till cooked. Keep it aside. You can use a bit of vegetable stock for grinding masalas for the sambar.

  4. Heat a heavy bottomed pan with gingelly oil. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, dry red chillies, coconut and roast for about a minute of till fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature. You may spread this on a plate and leave on kitchen countertop for faster cooling.

  5. In a mixer grinder, grind the masalas with the help of a bit of water, or the stock of boiled veggies to a smooth paste.

  6. Add the ground masala back in the saucepan, add tamarind paste and start boiling the sambar with cooked dal, and about a glass more of water or to the required consistency.Add salt and stir well.

  7. While the sambar comes to boil, in the kadai, heat a bit of gingelly oil. Once it is hot, on medium heat add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add curry leaves and saute for a few seconds, on low heat.

  8. Once the sambar is boiled well for about 5-7 minutes, switch off heat, add the gingelly oil tadka, top it with some ghee and give it a stir. The Coimbatore sambar is ready to serve.

  9. Serve Coimbatore Style Sambar Recipe with Steamed Rice Recipe and Capsicum Usili Recipe for a complete weekday meal.

Coimbatore Style Drumstick Sambar Recipe is part of the Recipe Contest: South Indian Cooking