Vada Sambar

Vada Sambar is a flavorful South Indian breakfast dish featuring crispy lentil donuts served with a spiced lentil and vegetable stew. This hearty meal is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients, making it a perfect start to the day.

Ingredients

• Urad Dal (black gram) - 100 grams
• Rice - 30 grams
• Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
• Green Chili - 1, finely chopped
• Ginger - 1 tsp, grated
• Curry Leaves - 6-8 leaves, chopped
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Water - as needed for soaking and grinding
• Oil - for deep frying
• Toor Dal (pigeon pea) - 50 grams
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Carrot - 1 small, diced
• Drumstick - 1 small, cut into pieces
• Sambar Powder - 1.5 tsp
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Cilantro - for garnish

Steps

1. Soak the urad dal and rice together in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the soaked dal and rice, then grind them into a smooth batter, adding a little water as needed, until fluffy. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Mix in chopped onion, green chili, ginger, curry leaves, and salt into the batter. Set aside.
4. In a pot, cook the toor dal in 1.5 cups of water until soft, then mash and set aside.
5. In the same pot, add chopped tomato, carrot, drumstick, and 3 cups of water. Bring it to a boil.
6. Add the mashed toor dal, sambar powder, tamarind paste, and salt to the boiling mixture. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
7. In a frying pan, heat oil for deep frying. Wet your hands and shape the urad dal batter into small donuts (vada) and carefully drop them into the hot oil.
8. Fry the vadas until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
9. In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of oil, add mustard seeds, and let them splutter, then add a pinch of asafoetida. Pour this tempering over the simmering sambar.
10. Serve the hot vadas with a bowl of sambar, garnished with cilantro.

Nutrition

• Calories: 450
• Protein: 18 g
• Carbs: 60 g
• Fiber: 10 g
• Sugar: 4 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Total Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Water: 0.5 L

Health Benefits

• Rich in protein and dietary fiber from lentils, promoting digestive health.
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals from vegetables, supporting overall wellness.

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