Sambar — Tamarind Lentil Vegetable Broth Technique (सांबर)

Tamil Nadu; the dish dates to at least the 17th century Madurai kingdom era; distinct versions exist in Andhra, Karnataka, and Kerala

Sambar is the daily lentil preparation of Tamil Nadu and the foundational dish of South Indian cuisine — a thin, tangy, deeply spiced soup of toor dal (pigeon peas), vegetables, tamarind, and sambar powder. The technique is layered: the dal is cooked separately to complete softness then mashed, tamarind is extracted and reduced separately, vegetables are cooked to varying doneness stages, and the components are combined only in the final stage. The sambar powder — a complex blend of roasted coriander, dried red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, cumin, peppercorn, curry leaf, and asafoetida — gives sambar its characteristic aromatic depth.

Poured over steamed rice (sambar sadam), served with idli, or alongside dosa. The tempering oil should be visible floating on the surface when served.