drumstick sambar recipe with step by step pics. one of the sambar varieties, i make pretty often is drumstick sambar. since the recipe was not shared on the blog, thought of adding the recipe. drumstick sambar is also called as murungakkai sambar in tamil. drumsticks are known as sahjan ki phalli in hindi. drumsticks are the pods of the moringa plant and are used in making a variety of recipes in the indian cuisine.

drumstick is one of the veggies which i buy once in a week. some recipes which i end up making exclusively with drumsticks most of the times, are drumstick curry and this drumstick sambar. i also add drumsticks in various recipes like:

• sambar recipe
• poricha kulambu
• arachuvitta sambar
• varutharacha sambar

this drumstick sambar is versatile and can be served with rice, idli, dosa, medu vadai or uttapam. if making the sambar for idlis or dosa, then make it of medium consistency. if making for rice, then you can add less water and make a slightly thick sambar.

the recipe uses sambar powder. for the best taste in sambar, i always recommend using homemade sambar powder. if you have a favorite brand of sambar powder, then you can also use it. in this recipe i have used homemade sambar powder.

serve drumstick sambar with idli, dosai or steamed rice.

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drumstick sambar recipe

Author:Dassana Amit

Prep Time:20 minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes

Total Time:40 minutes

Course:main,side

Cuisine:south indian,tamil nadu

Servings (change the number to scale):4

5 from 1 vote

tasty sambar variety made with drumsticks aka murungakkai 

INGREDIENTS FOR drumstick sambar recipe

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

for cooking dal

• ⅓ cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils or arhar dal)
• 1.25 to 1.5 cups water
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

for tamarind pulp

• ½ tablespoon tamarind
• ¼ cup hot water

other ingredients for murungakkai sambar

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ⅓ cup pearl onions (shallots) or ⅓ cup chopped onions
• ⅓ cup chopped or diced tomatoes or 1 small to medium tomato
• 2 to 3 drumsticks (murungakkai) or 175 grams drumsticks, peeled and chopped in 3 to 4 inches pieces
• 1 pinch turmeric powder
• 1.5 to 2 tablespoons sambar powder or add as required
• 1 cup water
• salt as required

for tempering murungakkai sambar

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 to 2 dry red chilies , broken and seeds removed
• 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds
• 10 to 12 curry leaves , chopped or whole

for garnish: (optional)

• 1 to 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

HOW TO MAKE drumstick sambar recipe

cooking dal for drumstick sambar

• rinse ⅓ cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in water. take the lentils in a 2 litre pressure cooker.
•  add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1.25 to 1.5 cups water.
• mix well. then cover and pressure cook dal for 7 to 8 whistles or 11 to 12 minutes on medium flame.
• when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and check the dal. dal should be completely cooked and mushy. mash dal with a spoon or wired whisk. cover and keep aside.

making tamarind pulp

• meanwhile in a bowl soak ½ tablespoon tamarind and ¼ cup warm or hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
• then later squeeze the soaked tamarind pulp in the water. keep this tamarind pulp aside.

cooking drumsticks

• in a pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil (preferably sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds). add ⅓ cup pearl onions (shallots) or ⅓ cup chopped onions.
• stir and sauté pearl onions till the onions turn translucent or the edges start to turn light golden. for onions, sauté them till they turn translucent.
• add ⅓ cup chopped or diced tomatoes. sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
• now add drumsticks and mix well.
• then add 1 cup water and 1 pinch turmeric powder. mix again.
• cover the pan and cook the drumsticks on a low to medium flame.
• in between do check when the drumsticks are cooking.
• the drumsticks should be cooked well and tender, but take care that they do not get overcooked.

making drumstick sambar

• once the drumsticks are cooked and tender, add the tamarind pulp.
• then add the cooked dal. also add 1.5 to 2 tablespoons sambar powder or add as required. mix very well.
• season with salt as per taste.
• simmer drumstick sambar on low to medium flame for 6 to 7 minutes. the raw aroma of tamarind should go away.
• after simmering for 6 to 7 minutes, switch off the flame. cover the pan and keep aside.

making tempering for drumstick sambar

• heat 1 tablespoon oil (preferably sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds) in small pan or tadka pan. add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. keep the flame to a low while tempering spices. 
• let the mustard seeds crackle.
• when the mustard seeds crackle, then add 1 to 2 dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed), 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds & 10 to 12 curry leaves.
• quickly add 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).
• mix well and fry till the curry leaves become crisp.
• switch off the flame and immediately add the tempering mixture in drumstick sambar.
• cover and let the flavors infuse for 4 to 5 minutes.
• then serve drumstick sambar with idli or dosa or medu vada or steamed rice. while serving you can garnish murungakkai sambar with some chopped coriander leaves.

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how to make drumstick sambar recipe

a) cooking dal for drumstick sambar

1. rinse ⅓ cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in water. take the lentils in a 2 litre pressure cooker.

2. add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.

3. then add 1.25 to 1.5 cups water.

4. mix well. then cover and pressure cook dal for 7 to 8 whistles or 11 to 12 minutes on medium flame.

5. when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and check the dal. dal should be completely cooked and mushy. mash dal with a spoon or wired whisk. cover and keep aside.

b) making tamarind pulp

5. meanwhile in a bowl soak ½ tablespoon tamarind and ¼ cup warm or hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.

6. then later squeeze the soaked tamarind pulp in the water. keep this tamarind pulp aside.

cooking drumsticks

8. in a pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil (preferably sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds). add ⅓ cup pearl onions (shallots) or ⅓ cup chopped onions.

9. stir and sauté pearl onions till the onions turn translucent or the edges start to turn light golden. for onions, sauté them till they turn translucent.

10. add ⅓ cup chopped or diced tomatoes.

11. sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.

12. now add 2 to 3 drumsticks or 175 grams drumsticks, which have been peeled and chopped in 3 to 4 inches pieces.

13. mix well.

14. then add 1 cup water and 1 pinch turmeric powder. mix again.

15. cover the pan and cook drumsticks on a low to medium flame.

16. in between do check when the drumsticks are cooking.

17. the drumsticks should be cooked well and tender, but take care that they do not get overcooked.

making drumstick sambar

18. once the drumsticks are cooked and tender, add the tamarind pulp.

19. then add the cooked dal. also add 1.5 to 2 tablespoons sambar powder or add as required.

20. mix very well.

21. season with salt as per taste.

22. simmer drumstick sambar on low to medium flame for 6 to 7 minutes. the raw aroma of tamarind should go away.

23. after simmering for 6 to 7 minutes, switch off the flame. cover the pan and keep aside.

making tempering for drumstick sambar

24. heat 1 tablespoon oil (preferably sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds) in small pan or tadka pan. add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. keep flame to a low while tempering, so that the spices do not get burnt.

25. let the mustard seeds crackle.

26. when the mustard seeds crackle, then add 1 to 2 dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed), 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds & 10 to 12 curry leaves.

27. quickly add 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).

28. mix well and fry for 2 to 3 seconds till the curry leaves become crisp.

29. switch off the flame and immediately add the tempering mixture in drumstick sambar.

30. cover and let the flavors infuse for 4 to 5 minutes.

31. then serve drumstick sambar with idli or dosa or medu vada or steamed rice. while serving you can garnish murungakkai sambar with some chopped coriander leaves.