Brinjal sambar is a healthy and delicious South Indian sambar variant made with small brinjals, pigeon pea lentils, onion, tomato, sambar powder, herbs and spices.
3 to 4tablespoonsoilsesame oil (gingelly oil) or coconut oil or any neutral flavored oil
1teaspoonblack mustard seeds
1teaspoonspilt and skinned black gram(urad dal)
3 to 4dry red chilies
15 to 20curry leaves
1pinchasafoetida(hing)
Instructions
Making brinjal sambar
Soak the tamarind in water for 20 to 25 minutes.
Squeeze and extract the pulp from the tamarind. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.
Boil the tuvar dal with onions and asafoetida powder with 2.5 to 3 cups water in a pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes on medium to medium-high heat or until the lentils have completely softened and cooked well.
Quarter or chop the brinjals. Soak them in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the pressure settles down on its own, then only open the cooker lid and mash the lentils with a spoon or wired whisk.
Now add water, chopped brinjals, quartered tomatoes, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder to the dal.
Stir and pressure cook again for 1 whistle on medium to medium-high heat.
Let the pressure settle down. The brinjals would be cooked by now.
Now add the sambar powder, tamarind pulp and simmer the brinjal sambar for 4 to 5 minutes or till the rawness of the tamarind goes away and the whole mixture has well blended flavors and taste.
Making tempering
In a small pan, heat oil. Add the mustard seed and urad dal.
Let the mustard seeds splutter and the urad dal turn golden. Fry on a low heat so that the spices do not burn.
Add dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Fry for some seconds until the red chilies change color and curry leaves become crisp.
Stir and immediately pour the tempering mixture on the sambar.
Cover with a lid, so ½ the lid after 4 to 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves if you prefer.
Serve the brinjal sambar hot with steamed rice or South Indian recipes like Idli, Dosa varieties or uttapam.
Notes
Use fresh tender brinjals. I suggest soaking the brinjals in salted water to remove their bitterness if any.
While chopping the brinjals if you see any black spots or worms in them, then discard.
Preferable use homemade sambar powder or a good brand of sambar powder for the best taste and flavor.
For a faint sweetness you can consider adding a bit of jaggery.
For tempering you can use sesame oil (gingelly oil) or coconut oil or any neutral flavored oil.