How long does Drumstick Sambar take?

40 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Drumstick Sambar serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Is Drumstick Sambar vegetarian?

Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.

Is Drumstick 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 Drumstick Sambar?

2 Drumstick, 2 tbsp Sambar Powder, 1/2 cup Toor Dal, 15 grams Tamarind, 200 grams Small Onion (Shallots), 40 grams Tomato, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Drumstick Sambar?

No, it is cooked in an open pot.

How many calories are in Drumstick Sambar?

About 221 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Drumstick SambarCook

Drumstick Sambar

Name: Drumstick Sambar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients: 1 cup Water; 2 1/2 cup Water; 1 tsp Turmeric Powder; 2 tsp Oil; 1/2 cup Toor Dal; 2 Drumstick, Diced; 1 1/2 tsp Salt; 200 grams Small Onion (Shallots); 40 grams Tomato, Diced; 1 1/2 tsp Asafoetida; 2 tbsp Sambar Powder; 15 grams Tamarind; 1 tbsp Ghee; 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds; 2 sprigs Curry leaves; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves

40 min
medium
Serves 4
11 people cooked this

Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min

Start cooking

2 steps, each one filmed. A short video for every step, so your hands never have to leave the pan.

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Also known as Homestyle Sambar · Veg · Curries & Gravies, Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam

Curries & Gravies Kuzhambu, Sambar & Rasam Dal

Drumstick sambar from Tamil Nadu: toor dal simmered with drumstick, shallots, tamarind and sambar powder. Medium-spicy, serves 4, 40 minutes, with video.

Low calorie

You’ll need: Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

15 items

4 people

Water3½ cup
Turmeric Powder1 tsp
Oil2 tsp
Toor Dal1/2 cup
Drumstick, Diced2
Salt1 1/2 tsp
Small Onion (Shallots)200 grams
Tomato, Diced40 grams
Asafoetida1 1/2 tsp
Sambar Powder2 tbsp
Tamarind15 grams
Ghee1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds1/2 tsp
Curry leaves2 sprigs
Coriander Leaves1 tbsp

Contains: milk, 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	221kcal	884kcal
Protein	8.3g	33g
Carbohydrate	32g	128g
Fat	7.6g	30g
Fibre	7.9g	32g
Sugar	6.8g	27g

Cookd masalas for drumstick

Method

1
In a pressure cooker, pour water and add turmeric powder and toor dal. Pressure Cook it for 5 whistles on a moderate flame (around 7-8 minutes) Mash the dal until completely smooth and set aside. In a kadhai or mud pot, pour oil and add drumsticks, salt and water, cook the drumsticks for 2-3 minutes on a high flame (this will make sure the salt is absorbed by the drumstick) Add the shallots and tomato, saute for 30 seconds and add asafoetida and sambar powder. Cook on a low medium flame for 1-2 minutes or until the raw flavour disappears. Pour tamarind water along with regular water, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on a moderate flame or until the drumsticks and shallots are cooked thoroughly.
WaterWaterTurmeric PowderOilToor DalDrumstickSaltSmall Onion (Shallots)TomatoAsafoetidaSambar PowderTamarind
2
Add the mashed dal to the sambar and cook for another 2-3 minutes on a high flame or until the sambar is cohesive. For the tempering, add ghee and mustard seeds, once they crackle add curry leaves and let them splutter. Add the tempering to the sambar and serve hot.
GheeMustard SeedsCurry leavesCoriander Leaves

Before you start

How long does Drumstick Sambar take?: 40 minutes from start to finish. That is 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Drumstick Sambar serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Drumstick Sambar vegetarian?: Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
Is Drumstick 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 Drumstick Sambar?: 2 Drumstick, 2 tbsp Sambar Powder, 1/2 cup Toor Dal, 15 grams Tamarind, 200 grams Small Onion (Shallots), 40 grams Tomato, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Drumstick Sambar?: No, it is cooked in an open pot.
How many calories are in Drumstick Sambar?: About 221 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

Tips from other cooks

3 notes

D
DivyaOctober 2026
As a bachelorette this is the first time I cooked the sambar in correct consistency 😊 and it's tasty as well. Thank you aadhi bro
K
Karthi KathirvelSeptember 2025
grams kanakul solama 1 23 nu sona nalla iruku apro kushka potato poriyal receipe venu receipes all are exacellent thanks for cookd
M
Moni ShaaSeptember 2024
Yummy sambar ready!😋