Yesterday we found ourselves with very few vegetables, and local markets had even less, so I decided to whip up this sambar with what vegetables we had on-hand.
Improvise To Survive
The economic situation in Suriname is horrendous, and the last few months have provided some extreme weather that often limits our vegetable choices to wilted overpriced leafy greens and equally overpriced rock-hard tomatoes full of insect damage.
On this day I had a sambar in mind, so I went in search of tomatoes, only to discover the local market(s) not only didn't have tomatoes, but no vegetables at all were for sale in our neighborhood. Luckily I managed to score some pickled bamboo shoots, allowing me to return home not empty-handed, and whip up this sambar with improvised ingredients.
🥣 Bamboo Shoot & Carrot Sambar Ingredients 🥕
Main Ingredients
- lentils | 1 cup
- salt | 1 tsp
- turmeric powder | ½ tsp
Seasoning & Veggies
- cooking oil | 3 tbsp
- cumin seeds | 1 tsp
- fenugreek seeds | ¼ tsp
- mustard seeds | ½ tsp
- hing | ⅛ tsp
- dry red chilies | 6x
- curry leaves | 20+ leaves
- carrots | 3x
- pickled bamboo shoots | double handful
- potato | 1x small
- tamarind pulp | golf-ball sized chunk
- salt | 1 tsp
- sambar powder | 2 tbsp
🔥 Let's Make This Sambar 🔥
STEP 1
Soak the lentils for at least 10 minutes to make for faster cooking, and if possible, soak overnight for an even faster cooking time. Drain the soaking water and pressure cook lentils in 5 cups of water for at 3-4 whistles, then allow steam to vent.
Slice the carrots, dice the bamboo shoots, and chop the potatoes, then set aside. Soak the tamarind pulp in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes, squeeze pulp with your hands several times to extract the flavor, then strain the pulp and reserve the tamarind water.
STEP 2
Heat the cooking oil, then briefly fry the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried chilies, curry leaves, and hing until the mustard seeds begin to splatter.
STEP 3
Add the vegetables, reduce the flame a bit, and sauté until the vegetables are partially cooked.
STEP 4
Add the sambar powder, salt, and sauté a few more minutes while stirring occasionally. Now add the tamarind water, and reduce the flame to a low simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer about 10 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Remember to stir every few minutes and any extra needed water to prevent burning.
STEP 5
When the vegetables are tender, add the pot of cooked lentils to the sambar pot along with any extra needed water and salt to your liking. Bring back to a simmer, cook a few minutes, and it's ready to serve.
Sambar is delicious with dosas, idlis, rice, and just about any starch you can pair it with. I even like to eat a bowl of sambar all by itself, but on the particular day I made this batch, we enjoyed it with some bulgur, a common food in Suriname.
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