Drumstick Sambar Murungakkai Sambar

About This Drumstick Sambar

Drumsticks also know as Murungakkai in Tamil and Sahjan ki Phalli in Hindi are the pods of the moringa plant. They are regularly used to make a variety of recipes in Indian cuisine. Drumsticks always make it on my weekly shopping list as they are nutritious and easy to prepare. I also sometimes make this tasty Drumstick Curry too. Drumstick sambar is a variation of the South Indian sambar made with drumsticks as the hero veggie. A Sambar is lentil and vegetable stew and it has many variants. This dish features drumsticks cooked with blended lentils and spices. This recipe uses homemade Sambar Powder. To make the best-tasting sambar I like to use homemade sambar powder but if you have a favorite brand of sambar powder, then you can use it too. Add this delicious savory dish to your menu because it is versatile and can be served with rice, Idli, Dosa, Medu Vadai or Uttapam.  If you are making the sambar for idli or dosa, then it should have a medium consistency. Alternatively, if you are making it for rice then add less water to make a slightly thick sambar.

How to Make Drumstick Sambar

Cook Lentils

1. Rinse ⅓ cup of tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in water. Add the lentils to a 2-liter pressure cooker. You can also cook the lentils in a pot on the stovetop or in an Instant pot.
2. Add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder.
3. Then add 1.25 to 1.5 cups of water.
4. Mix well. Then cover and cook the lentils for 7 to 8 whistles or 11 to 12 minutes on medium heat.
5. Once the pressure falls down on its own then only open the lid and check the lentils. They should be cooked completely and mushy. Mash the lentils with a spoon or wired whisk. Then cover with the lid and set aside. Making Tamarind Pulp
6. Meanwhile in a bowl soak ½ tablespoon of tamarind and ¼ cup of warm or hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Also, prep and chop the veggies and set them aside.
7. Squeeze the soaked tamarind pulp in the water and set the tamarind pulp aside.

Cook Drumsticks

8. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan. Add ⅓ cup of pearl onions or ⅓ cup of chopped onions or shallots. The pearl onions can be kept whole or halved. Tip: I prefer to use sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds also called as gingelly oil. You can also use coconut oil, sunflower oil or any neutral-tasting oil.
9. Stir and sauté pearl onions until the onions become translucent or the edges become lightly golden. If you are using onions sauté them until they turn translucent.
10. Add ⅓ cup of chopped or diced tomatoes.
11. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Add 2 to 3 drumsticks or 175 grams of slightly peeled and chopped drumsticks (into 2.5 to 3 inches batons or sticks) to the pan. Try to use drumsticks that are fresh, tender and green for the best taste and flavor.
13. Mix well.
14. Add 1 cup of water and 1 pinch of turmeric powder. Mix again.
15. Cover the pan and cook drumsticks on a low to medium heat.
16. Check the drumsticks from time to time.
17. The drumsticks should be cooked well and tender, but make sure that they do not get overcooked.

Make Drumstick Sambar

18. Once the drumsticks are cooked and tender then add the tamarind pulp.
19. Add the cooked mashed lentils. Also, add 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of sambar powder. Feel free to add less or more sambar powder depending on your preferred taste.
20. Stir and mix very well.
21. Season with salt to taste.
22. Simmer drumstick sambar on low to medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes. The raw aroma of tamarind should go away.
23. After simmering for 6 to 7 minutes switch off the heat. Cover the pan and set it aside.

Temper

24. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil (preferably sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds) in a small pan or tadka pan.  Add ½ a teaspoon of mustard seeds. Set the heat to a low while tempering so that the spices do not get burnt.
25. Allow the mustard seeds to crackle.
26. Once the mustard seeds crackle add 1 to 2 dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed), 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds and 10 to 12 curry leaves. Mix well.
27. Quickly add 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).
28. Mix again and fry for 2 to 3 seconds until the curry leaves become crisp.
29. Turn off the heat and add the tempering mixture to the drumstick sambar immediately.
30. Cover and leave the flavors to infuse for 4 to 5 minutes.
31. Serve drumstick sambar with idli, dosa, medu vada or steamed rice. Feel free to garnish murungakkai sambar with some chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) before serving.

Expert Tips

Dal (Lentils): Try to use unpolished tur dal for a good flavor. You can also use moong dal or equal proportions of tur dal and masoor dal (orange lentils). It is also important to make sure that the lentils are fully cooked before mashing. This will ensure that you get a smooth consistency. Sambar powder: The quality of the sambar powder will effect the taste of the sambar. Use homemade sambar powder or a good brand of sambar powder for the best flavors. Drumsticks: The fresher the better for this recipe! I like to buy fresh drumsticks every week so I usually use some to make this recipe. Use drumsticks that are green in color, unbruised and tender for the best results. Oil: My go-to oil for this recipe is sesame seed oil because it has delicious nutty notes and is traditionally used in the Tamil Nadu cuisine. If you don’t have sesame seeds or oil feel free to use coconut oil, sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil of your choice. Batch: Half, double, or triple this recipe depending on the number of people you want to feed.

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This Drumstick Sambar post from the blog archives first published in May 2018 has been updated and republished on April 2023.