Drumstick Sambar
Updated: June 13, 2024, By Swasthi
Drumstick Sambar is a South Indian traditional stew made with lentils, spices and vegetable drumsticks. This spicy, thick, tangy and delicious stew is eaten with rice and ghee alongside papads or a vegetable stir fry. While the traditional Sambar has mixed vegetables this one uses only the vegetable drumsticks and small onions/shallots. In this post I share my Mom’s recipe to make Drumstick Sambar.
About Drumstick Sambar
Vegetable drumsticks are the pods of moringa tree and are used as a vegetable in Indian cooking. We use them to make curries, soup (rasam), pickles and add it to stews like this one. They are known as munagakaya in Telugu, murungakkai in Tamil, sahjan ki phali in Hindi and nugekkai in Kannada.
Moringa trees are native to Indian sub-continent. They are often grown in the backyards and farms, especially in South India where the pods and the leaves are a staple. We use the young leaves known as moringa leaves, in stir fry and lentil dishes. The pods are known as drumsticks, and are used in curries and sambar. Growing up we always had fresh drumsticks from our grandparents’ backyard, so this Drumstick Sambar was a staple.
Drumsticks have a vegetal and fresh grassy flavor so they require long cooking. While the tender/ young pods need about 10 minutes to cook, the more mature ones take about 20 to 25 mins. So the young drumsticks are more preferred and they also taste better than the mature pods.
Next time when you find these in a store, choose the pods that look fresh and are light green in color. Avoid buying pods that look dry, dehydrated and woody since these are the signs of very mature pods that don’t taste good and take too long to cook.
If you are wondering about the difference between this drumstick sambar and the traditional sambar, it is the amount of drumsticks and the use of ginger garlic that makes a huge difference to this version. To begin with drumsticks are simmered with onions and tomatoes until tender, later soft cooked dal is added to it. It is further simmered with Sambar Powder, tamarind and coconut. It is lastly finished off with a tempering.
Here are some expert tips that will help you make the best.
Expert Tips
- The tempering is made with a generous amount of ghee which elevates the flavor and taste of this drumstick sambar. However if you are a vegan you can just temper the dish with any regular cooking oil.
- Ginger and garlic paste are not regular ingredients in a vegetable sambar but this recipe uses it as the key ingredient to enhance the flavor. If you do not eat garlic, you can omit both ginger & garlic as I have not tested this recipe just with ginger.
- Fresh coconut adds a different taste, flavor & texture. If you do not have fresh coconut you can omit it but do not use desiccated coconut or copra as it alters the flavor & taste.
- I have used toor dal (split pigeon peas) and just 2 tbsps of moong dal (yellow mung lentils). You can use only toor dal or red lentils (masoor dal). Moong dal imparts thick texture to the sambar.
- For the best taste use tender/young drumsticks that have been harvested recently.
More South Indian recipes
Veg kurma
Tomato rice
Idli sambar
Photo Guide
Step by step Photo Instructions
Cook dal
1. Wash dal a few times with lot of water. Fresh pour water to cook dal.
2. Cover and pressure cook the dal on a medium flame for 2 whistles or until completely soft cook & mushy. If you don’t have a cooker, please check this red lentil curry post to know how to cook lentils in a pot.
3. When the pressure drops, mash the dal completely. It must be smooth. While the dal cooks, wash the drumsticks. Lightly scrape off the skin and cut them to 2 inch long pieces. Discard both the ends. If you are using home-grown drumsticks then don’t need to scrape the skin.
Make drumstick sambar
4. Add the chopped drumsticks to a pot along with shallots or onions and green chili. If you do not have shallots you can also use medium sized onions. Halve them and add. I do not saute the veggies but if you wish you can saute them for 2 mins in 1 tsp oil. But there will be no difference in the taste. (Avoid using large red onions.)
5. Add in chopped tomato.
6. Pour 2 to 3 cups of water. The amount of water to use depends on the consistency you prefer. I normally do not make very thick sambar.
7. Cover and cook until the drumsticks are half cooked.
8. Immerse and soak tamarind in little hot water until soft. When the temperature comes down, mash the tamarind and set aside.
9. Check if the drumsticks are half cooked and add ginger garlic paste (or grated). If you do not like it you can omit but it adds a lot of flavor.
10. Then add salt.
11. Next add sambar powder and chili powder (optional). Store bought sambar powder can be really hot, so use with caution.
12. Now add in turmeric and mix well.
13. Cook until the drumsticks are completely soft, yet hold their shape. Pour the tamarind water. I prefer to filter it.
14. Next add fresh grated coconut and pour the dal.
15. Mix well and taste test. Adjust salt and tamarind as required. Bring to a gentle boil and turn off. Add the coriander leaves.
Temper
16. Pour ghee and heat it in a small pan on a medium high heat. Add mustard, cumin and methi seeds. When they begin to splutter, add in garlic, red chili and curry leaves (pat dry).
17. When the leaves turn crisp, turn off and add hing. If you think your sambar lacks flavor or want to spice up, add some sambar powder or red chili powder here.
18. Quickly pour this to the sambar. I prefer to pour 2 to 3 ladles of sambar to the tempering pan as the aroma is totally different when done this way.
19. I pour back the tempered sambar to the pot.
Serve drumstick sambar with rice, idli or dosa.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Drumstick Sambar
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- ½ cup Toor dal or split skinned pigeon peas
- 2 tablespoons moong dal or skinned split mung lentils (optional)
- 1½ cups water to cook dal (use as needed)
- 3 vegetable drumsticks (cut to finger length)
- 10 shallots or 3 medium onions
- 1 tomato large chopped
- 1 to 2 green chilies
- ½ tablespoons ginger garlic paste (or 1 teaspoon each grated ginger and garlic)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1½to 2 tablespoons sambar powder
- tamarind Small lemon sized ball
- 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut Fresh grated
- ¾ teaspoon salt or use as needed
- 1 Handful Coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2 to 3 cups water (adjust as needed)
To Temper
- 1 red chili (broken)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cumin or jeera
- ¼ teaspoon methi seeds or fenugreek seeds
- 1 clove garlic crushed slightly
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 Pinches asafoetida or hing
Instructions
Preparation
- Add dal to a pressure cooker or bowl. Wash it well a few times and pressure cook with 1½ to 2 cups water. If cooking directly cook for 2 whistles. If following the pot-in-pot method cook for 3 whistles on a medium flame.
- When the pressure releases naturally, remove the cooked dal and mash it well. It has to be smooth without any grainy texture.
- Pour 2 to 3 cups of water in a pot and add all the chopped drumsticks, onion & tomatoes. Cook them until the drumsticks are half done. You can add more or less water to adjust the consistency.
- While the veggies cook, take half a cup of hot water to a bowl. Soak tamarind in it. When it cools down squeeze well , and set aside.
Make drumstick sambar
- When the drumsticks are half cooked, add salt, turmeric, red chili powder, sambar powder and ginger garlic paste. Continue to cook till the drumsticks are fully done & tender.
- Next add coconut and tamarind water. Mash the dal to smooth and pour to the sambar. Mix well and taste test to adjust salt and tamarind. Bring to a gentle boil and turn off. Add coriander leaves.
Temper
- Add ghee to a small pan and heat it. Add mustard, cumin and methi. When they splutter, add red chilli curry leaves and garlic. Add hing.
- Pour this tempering over the drumstick sambar. Turn off the stove. If you plan to refrigerate, do it immediately once it cools down. Serve drumstick sambar with rice, papad or idli dosa.
Notes
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Hi Swasthi,
Do you peel the Drumsticks? I have only cooked them once. I was told not to peel them and that you had to scrape the flesh from the skin in order to eat them. Discard the skin after cooking.
Perhaps we get old Drumsticks here so that’s how the local Indian diaspora have grown to know them.
Paul
Hi Paul,
I don’t peel drumsticks but if they are not young, you can scrape them with a knife to remove a thin layer. This helps them cook faster. We eat the soft pulp along with the seeds inside and discard the thick skin and outer fibrous part. Hope this helps.
Please, what are you doing to have the drumsticks soft – I have tried to cook them for more than 1 hour and also to put them in the steamer for 1/2 h before boiling – unfortunately they a still hard thank you, George
Hi,
I don’t do anything more, other than shown in the recipe. You will boil them in plain water along with other veggies. Did you see the step by step photo instructions? If you did then, I think you got really very old and mature drumsticks.
Thank you very much for your reply. I will try to boil it longer ( I have only the frozen ones ). George
Try peeling, if they are not peeled
Very good recipé and instructions.
Prayers??
I really thank God for you sister..you are very much inspiration for me a best blessed Chef ever…Wat ever I tried from you is success & awesome ..May God bless you abundantly sister..My blessings & players always with you & your family??God bless you all❤
Hi Elizabeth,
So happy to read this! Thanks a lot for the wishes. They mean a lot to us.
Stay safe and healthy!
:smileL
came out well. thanks
Welcome Vanita
You saved my day .. Thanks a lot for the recipe .. Made sambar myself and it came our very well.. For all those men out there if you want to make yummy sambar and surprise your wife then try this recipe
You are welcome! Glad to know!
Thank you
Sambhar was authentic South Indian Sambhar. No more to be said. It’s so rare to find this in any restaurant. Thank you for sharing.
Welcome Sheela
Glad you liked it. Thank you
All time fav sambar…yummy
Yes Prema!
It is a good recipe and I will make sambar and idli with the help of your recipe, Thanks
Welcome Indu,
Yes do try it
My kid simply loved this sambar.. thanks for the recipe.
Hi Janani
Thank you so much!
Adding a few pieces of potato and carrot cubes will enhance the taste and nutritional values to the sambar.
Yes You are right!
Turned out very delicious.
Excellent
It’s very simple and easy am going to try this receipe
Thanks
Thanks swasthi..all the guests & my daughter liked it ,very much. & I liked it because it was not time consuming.
Welcome Sweta
Glad to know you all liked it
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Thank you