Sambar Recipe

A perfect combination of lentils and veggies, sambar is power-packed with loads of nutrition for your little one. If you haven’t tried this whole meal option for your munchkin, well, you may do so now with our superbly simple and easy Sambar recipe. Read on to know and master this yummy recipe with a kiddie twist!

Cooking Time

Type	Time
Preparation Time	00:15:00
Cook Time	00:20:00
Total Time	00:35:00

Cooking Method

Gas Stove

Type of Meal

Vegetarian

Suitable For

Babies above 9 months of age

Meal Schedule

Lunch or Dinner

Recipe Type

Main Dish

Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients for making homemade Sambar baby food recipe:

Type	Quantity/volume
Toor dal	½ cup
Carrots, chopped	¼ cup
Radish, chopped	¼ cup
Eggplant, chopped	¼ cup
Bottle gourd, chopped	¼ cup
Black pepper powder	½ teaspoon
Cumin seeds	½ teaspoon
Mustard seeds	½ teaspoon
Asafoetida	A pinch
Turmeric powder	1 teaspoon
Coriander powder	½ teaspoon
Curry leaves	8 to 10
Ghee	1 tablespoon
Onion, chopped	2 tablespoon
Tomatoes, chopped	2 tablespoon
Ginger-garlic paste	1 teaspoon
Water	2 cups
Salt	To taste

Instructions

Follow these step by step directions to whip up a perfect sambar recipe:

1. Boil dal in a pressure cooker for one whistle along with chopped carrots, eggplant, radish, bottle gourd, turmeric, and salt. Keep aside while you prepare the tempering.
2. Heat ghee in a pan, add curry leaves and fry them until they turn crispy.
3. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds, let them splutter.
4. Throw in the onions and turn them golden brown.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté it for a minute or two.
6. Put chopped tomatoes and cook with the entire mixture until they cook well.
7. Add coriander powder and pepper powder. Mix well.
8. Put cooked dal and vegetables and cook on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice or idli.

Recipe Tips

Here are some tips that you can incorporate to make this Sambar recipe for toddlers yummier and more nutritious:

• Soak dal for a few minutes for faster cooking.
• You can add more vegetables like pumpkin, potatoes, snake gourd, etc for adding more nutritional value to the dish.
• If you wish to make tangier sambar, you can add more tomatoes to the recipe. Alternatively, you can add tamarind pulp to the recipe.
• You can add a teaspoon of jaggery to enhance the flavor of the recipe.
• Serve sambar topped with a teaspoon of ghee for the added flavor.

Nutrition Information (Serving Per 100 Grams)

Here’s the nutritional content present in sambar:

Type	Value
Energy	90 Calories
Carbohydrates	12 grams
Protein	4.5 grams
Fiber	2.5 grams
Fat	3 grams
Vitamin C	4 milligrams
Calcium	20 milligrams
Magnesium	20 milligrams
Iron	0.7 milligrams
Sodium	8 milligrams

The above table mentions the approximate nutritional content present in 100 grams of homemade sambar. The actual values may vary according to the ingredients.

Health Benefits

Here are some health benefits of sambar for your little one:

• Sambar contains toor dal, which is a good source of protein. Protein is an essential nutrient for the development of muscles in babies.
• With loads of veggies and dal, sambar acts as a fiber-rich food option for your little one. High amounts of fiber are good for your baby’s gut and can help in keeping digestion on track and digestive issues at bay.
• Presence of turmeric powder, pepper, curry leaves, and other such ingredients make this yummy food option not only good for your baby’s digestion but these are also good sources of zinc, magnesium, iron, folate and other nutrients that may help in building better immunity in babies and young kids.
• Ample amount of fiber and water in the dish makes it easy on your baby’s tummy. Fiber helps in adding bulk to the stool, which helps in facilitating bowel movements in babies.

Buying Guide

Now that you know how to make Sambar, keep in mind the following pointers when buying ingredients for the same:

• Always buy unpolished dal when picking up ingredients to make sambar for your kid.
• Buy fresh vegetables and refrain from using canned or out of season ones.
• If possible, buy organic vegetables to reduce the risk of chemical exposure through pesticides and fertilizers that are used in growing crops.

Try this sambar recipe for your baby when you wish to make something nutritious and yummy for your little one!