Drumstick Sambar Recipe (Murungakkai Sambar) (2024)

Drumstick sambar recipe called as murungakkai sambar in Tamil is the most popular sambar from Tamil recipes. Sambar is made with many vegetables yet drumstick sambar especially is a top favorite.

Sharing the recipe for Tamil nadu murungakkai sambar for rice. Sambar is thick lentil soup or gravy from south Indian cuisine. While different vegetables are used to make south Indian sambar this drumstick sambar is especially popular. The flavor of drumstick sambar is wonderful and loved by the most. While you can serve this sambar with idli or dosa, this sambar tastes especially good with rice.

While in many homes sambar is always made with drumstick, we make it once in a while so I am sharing our way of making the recipe today. This is my mom’s recipe for drumstick sambar and a huge favorite at our home.

Drumstick is a very healthy, flavorful vegetable and often recommended in diet especially to increase iron content. Drumstick is also very good for digestion. It is a very widely used vegetable in south Indian cuisine. The leaves and flowers from drumstick tree (moringa) is also used in Tamil recipes.

Here I am sharing a very simple drumstick sambar recipe that does not require any grinding. So this is yet another easy recipe that you can make for lunch box. I suggest you use homemade sambar powder. In the absence of homemade sambar powder mtr powder is good.

For more tips and variations with sambar recipe please check here.

To make drumstick sambar recipe, try to use tender drumsticks that contain more plump. Pearl onions or small onions improve the flavor of this sambar. I always recommend making any sambar recipe with gingely oil, the flavor and taste is just superb.

My personal touch to this drumstick sambar recipe is adding a generous amount of coriander powder while the sambar is boiling, just try it once to know what I mean :). It is important to cook and mash the toor dal very well to get thick and nice sambar. If your dal is very old, you can soak the dal for 20 minutes before cooking.

Serve drumstick sambar with steamed rice, ghee, potato fry, small potato fry, raw banana fry, carrot curry etc. Add curd, pickle and your meal will be a complete and healthy one!

If you are looking for more sambar recipes do check udupi sambar, pumpkin sambar recipes

How to make drumstick sambar recipe

1. First of all soak a big lemon sized tamarind ball in 3/4 cup of water for 20 minutes. Next, pressure cook toor dal with a pinch of turmeric powder. Finally once the pressure is released mash the dal very well and set aside. Extract thick juice from soaked tamarind and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon gingely oil in a deep pan. Now add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Next add methi seeds and fry till they turn dark. Add curry leaves and dried red chilies. Saute well for 2 minutes.

3. Add pearl onions and saute till the color changes a bit.

4. Now add the cut drumsticks and saute well.

5. Next add sambar powder and turmeric powder.

6. Mix well and saute till the raw smell of sambar powder goes off.

7. Then add tamarind extract and mix well.

8. Also add about 1 1/2 cups water and bring to rapid boil.

9. Now add cooked dal, salt and 1/2 cup water. Boil for 10 minutes. Finally add coriander powder, mix well and cook for 2 more minutes till the sambar thickens. Remove from flame and serve drumstick sambar hot with rice.

Drumstick sambar recipe card below: