Sambar – kapha balancing

SAMBAR – KAPHA BALANCING

When you cook vegetables for sambar make sure that they are well cooked. If you are making the sambar with the local vegetables in south India use ladies’ fingers and drumsticks instead of asparagus and bell pepper. Use coriander seeds instead of powder if available. Best served with dosa, vegetable rice or as a part of thali meal. If you need more sauce add an additional cup of water when cooking the vegetables.

This dish is made to balance kapha.

4  to 6 people

½ cup red lentils
2 + 1 cup water 
5 asparagus
11 haricots verts
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 eggplant
1 green bell pepper
2 potatoes
2 tbsp canola oil
1 – 2 tsp chili flakes 
2 tsp coriander powder  
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds 
salt 
coriander leaves  for garnish 

(If you are sensitive to spicy food use less chili flakes.)

Boil the lentils in 2 cups of water until soft.

Wash and cut the vegetables (asparagus and haricot verts in 1 1/2 inch long pieces, carrots in 1 1/2 inch rectangles, onion in rings, ginger in thin slivers, and the other vegetables in cubes.) (Peel onion, ginger, carrot and potato before cutting.)

In a heated pan add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the vegetables including onion and ginger and stir on high heat for 3 minutes. 

Add 1 cup of water, put the lid on and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are cooked. 

Add the boiled lentils to the vegetables and stir. Lower the heat and let simmer under the lid for 5 more minutes.

In a small frying pan add ½ tablespoon of oil, chili flakes and coriander powder and stir for 1 minute. Switch of the stove, add turmeric powder, stir and add to the vegetables.

Add salt for taste. 

In a heated pan add ½ tablespoon of oil and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to break add to the vegetables.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Remember to post a photo of your meal on your social media and tag me (FB JaneshVaidyaAyurveda and Instagram janesh_vaidya_ayurveda) to share the inspiration.

Swedish readers – you will find this recipe in my cookbook ‘Maten från min by‘.