Ash Gourd Sambar
- 60 min
- medium
- Serves 4
Ash gourd sambar of toor dal, ash gourd, shallots, tamarind and Cookd Sambar Masala. Medium-spicy and vegetarian, serves 4, about 60 minutes plus soaking.
You’ll need: Pressure Cooker
Good for: Tamil New Year, Onam, Lunchbox
Ingredients
Tamarind20 grams
Water, For Soaking100 ml
Toor Dal150 grams
Turmeric Powder1.5 grams
White Pumpkin400 grams
Salt1½ tsp
Small Onion (Shallots), Peeled10
Green Chilli, Slit12 grams
Tomato, Chopped2
Cookd Sambar MasalaJaggery1 tsp
Oil2 tsp
Mustard Seeds1 tsp
Cumin1 grams
Dry Red Chilli1 grams
Curry leaves4 grams
Asafoetida0.3 grams
Coriander Leaves, Chopped6 grams
Contains: wheat.
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 249kcal | 996kcal |
| Protein | 11g | 45g |
| Carbohydrate | 42g | 168g |
| Fat | 4.8g | 19g |
| Fibre | 12g | 48g |
| Sugar | 8.9g | 36g |
Cookd masalas for Cookd Sambar Masala
Method
Get ready by rinsing the toor dal, ash gourd, green chillies, tomatoes, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Peel and cut the ash gourd into large cubes, and peel the shallots. Slit the green chillies, chop the tomatoes and coriander leaves, and break the dry red chilli. Soak the tamarind in 100 ml water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the juice.
Add the dal, water and turmeric powder to a pressure cooker. Pressure cook on medium heat for 4 whistles, then let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes until the pin drops. Open the cooker, check that the dal is soft, and mash it until smooth.
Add the ash gourd, water and salt to a kadai. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the pieces are soft but still hold their shape.
Add the shallots, green chillies, tomatoes, Cookd Sambar Masala, tamarind water, jaggery and salt to the cooked ash gourd. Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots and tomatoes soften and the raw smell goes.
Heat the oil in a small pan on medium heat for 1 minute until hot. Add the mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds until they splutter. Add the cumin, dry red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida, and fry for 1 minute until the curry leaves are crisp.
Pour the tempering into the sambar, add the mashed dal and mix gently. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, until the sambar is evenly mixed and lightly thickened. Switch off the heat and add the coriander leaves.
Before you start
- How long does Ash Gourd Sambar take?
- 1 hour from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Ash Gourd Sambar serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Ash Gourd Sambar vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Ash Gourd Sambar spicy?
- It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Ash Gourd Sambar?
- 50 grams Cookd Sambar Masala, 20 grams Tamarind, 150 grams Toor Dal, 400 grams White Pumpkin, 10 Small Onion (Shallots), 1 tsp Jaggery, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Ash Gourd Sambar?
- Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
- How many calories are in Ash Gourd Sambar?
- About 249 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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