Raw Mango Sambar

My 221st recipe, "Raw Mango Sambar", a tangy sambar recipe. After posting RK's favorite avarakkai sambar about a week back, now I am following it with my favorite, raw mango sambar recipe.

While sambar is the most frequently made south Indian gravy at my house, it took me a very long time to post my 2nd recipe for sambar on my blog. To be exact, close to 10 months passed by with few of my friends and readers checking with me for a sambar recipe, however for some reason I did not find it in me to post the sambar recipe.

I now realize that it is absolutely not fair, not to share the delicious sambar recipe with everyone. The basic preparation methods of my sambar recipes are on similar lines. The okra sambar is mildly spicy sambar having a texture of it own due to the okra. The avarakkai sambar is a thicker and spicier sambar made with freshly ground spices.

And this raw mango sambar is a nice lip smacking tangy sambar. And the tangy taste is what I specifically love about this sambar. While growing up my mom used to frequently make this sambar. Along with the raw mango she used to add brinjals and drumstick as well. However I never used to touch anything other than the raw mango.

Once the raw mango cooks in the sambar, it becomes exceptionally tender and super tasty. I would happily complete a whole raw mango when added to the sambar 😉 And when paired with a spicy potato thokku or a nice seppan kizhangu roast, that would surely be one of my favorite lunch choices, though I have it very often 🙂

Raw Mango Sambar

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• Toor Dal - ¼ Cup
• Garlic - 5 Cloves
• Turmeric - ¼ + ⅛ tsp
• Asafoetida - A small pinch
• Tamarind - ½ tsp tightly packed
• Curry leaves - 1 Sprig
• Onion - 1 Small Chopped
• Tomato - 1 Small Chopped
• Salt - 1 ½ tsp Adjust as per taste
• Sambar powder - 3 tsp
• Raw mango - 1 Small Seed removed
• Sugar / Jaggery - ½ tsp
• Coriander leaves - For garnish

To temper

• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard - ¼ tsp
• Broken Urad dal - ½ tsp
• Jeera - ½ tsp
• Dry red chilli - 3
• Asafoetida - A large pinch

Instructions

 

• First pressure cook the toor dal along with garlic, asafoetida, ⅛ tsp turmeric and sufficient water for 3 whistles or until done. Once the pressure subsides, mash it to fine paste and keep aside until use.
• Soak the tamarind in ¼ cup of water for about 10 mins and extract the juice and keep aside until use. Also, chop the veggies and keep aside.
  
   
• Now, heat a pan with oil, add in the mustard and once it splutters, add all the other ingredients listed under "To temper". Once the urad dal turns golden, add in the curry leaves, onion, tomato and saute until onion turns translucent. Then add the prepared tamarind extract along with about 2 cups of additional water, sambar powder, ¼ turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Leave it to cook.
  
   
  
   
• When the sambar comes to a rolling boil, and the raw smell of tamarind is gone, add in the raw mango and mix well. Turn the flame to low-medium and let it continue to cook. Once the raw mango is half cooked, add the mashed dal and mix well. At this stage check for the consistency of sambar and add more water if needed.
  
   
• Let the sambar simmer for few more minutes until the raw mango is fully done. Finally, add the sugar/jaggery and coriander leaves, mix well and turn off the flame.
  
   
• Serve hot with rice and any spicy South Indian side.
  
  

Notes | FAQ

- Adding sugar/jaggery is totally optional, but it will help round out the flavor of the sambar.
- Adjust the quantity of tamarind and tomato based on the size and tanginess of the raw mango. Do not add more, since raw mango already adds a tanginess to the sambar.
- If you feel the sambar consistency is thick, you can add some water, let it come to boil and turn off. If its too watery, let it simmer for extra time until your desired consistency is reached.
- The cooking time of raw mango is short. As soon as the pulp of it turns translucent, it is cooked. Don't leave it to get cooked for longer, as the raw mango will get mashed out and dissolve in the sambar.