Food stories: How a dish like Sambhar came, Marathas made it, made South India smile

Be it Idli or Masala Dosa or Uttapam or any South Indian dish, the thing that is invariably eaten with it is Sambar and Chutney. Any South Indian dish is incomplete without sambar. Just as the bodice and hem are together, so is its unbreakable bond with sambar and idli-dosa. Every one of us feels that Sambar made with different types of vegetables, khatai and dal must have originated in South India only, it cannot be anything other than this. But it is not so.

However, in every state of the South, Sambar is prepared with different taste and method. In the North, when it is served in restaurants and hotels along with South Indian dishes, the taste is different. It will definitely contain pigeon peas and vegetables but the style of spices and sourness may be different. However, Sambar is also a dish which was created accidentally and when it was prepared, it became a hit.

Maratha connection of Sambhar origin
There is an interesting story associated with its origin. Tanjore was ruled by Marathas. Sambhaji Raje was the Bhonsle king. He was also fond of cooking. He was also considered a great cook. He was considered an expert in cooking.

In those days, Marathas used to give kokum mixed in the food of the king, especially in pulses, because he liked the sourness of kokum mixed in pulses. This was imported from Maratha. It was used in many mines. His cook did not come that day. So Sambhaji himself started preparing his favorite dish Amti Dal, which was sour lentils with kokum. His servant was scared that Kokam’s supplies had not arrived.

This was told to the king. He was angry but he assured the people of his court that he would make a wonderful Amti today. But what to do when there was no kokum? One of his assistants suggested that tamarind should be used for sourness like the local people do.

That day, the assistant selected in Sambhaji’s kitchen prepared tamarind pulp and added it to the dal. To prevent the dal from getting too sour due to tamarind, some vegetables were added to it. And the word was spread that King Sambhaji was preparing a special dish today.

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Sambhaji liked this special dal dish very much
Arhar dal was mixed with vegetables and cooked adequately. There was tamarind pulp embedded in it. When the king’s group arrived, he found the smell of the special dish different but such that it made him feel even more hungry. Well, this special dish was served and whoever tasted it was wowed. And in this way sambar was prepared instead of amti. Sambhaji liked this special dal of his, hence it was named Sambhar (Sambar) after him.

this is also a story
Another story is that when Chhatrapati Shivaji’s eldest son Sambhaji visited Thanjavur, he was served a new dish. This dish was probably invented by a royal chef or Shahji himself. To honor the guest, this dish was named “Sambhar”.

Shivaji wanted nutritious dishes for the soldiers
Another story, although it is also related to the Maratha rulers. The origin story of sambar begins in the 17th century in the royal kitchen of Sambhaji, son of Maratha king Shivaji. At this time, the chief cook of his kitchen was a talented person named Surnai Keshavji, who used to experiment a lot in food. He was entrusted with the task of creating nutritious and tasty dishes that would nourish the Maratha army, which could be easily prepared and eaten.

Taking inspiration from the traditional Maharashtrian dal called “Amati”, he set out to create a dish with arhar dal that was nutritious and flavourful.

Hit Sambar emerged after many experiments
Experimenting with a host of spices and vegetables, Keshavji tried to create the perfect balance of flavours. After several trials, he made a breakthrough by combining aromatic turmeric, pungent tamarind, fiery red chilli powder and aromatic coriander seeds with protein-rich pigeon pea and vegetables. This dish was amazing. When Sambhaji tasted it, he was very impressed by it. He gave it the title of “Sambhar” and named it after himself. Often the kings of that time used to add their names to other things to give them respect.

What changes did Tamil Nadu make in Sambar that made it taste better?
With the passage of time, the recipe of sambar traveled southwards mainly through trade routes and cultural exchange. As soon as it reached the southern regions of India, many changes took place according to its taste and available ingredients.

Sambar gained immense popularity in Tamil Nadu, the home of South Indian cuisine. To keep pace with local culinary traditions, aromatic spices like fenugreek, asafoetida and curry leaves were added, which later became an integral part of sambar. This made it taste even better.

Now a special Sambar powder masala is prepared and sold in the market for this, which is a unique mixture of roasted spices, lentils and dry red chillies. This flavor-packed powder was carefully formulated to provide a balanced and complex flavor profile. The taste and aroma are enhanced when this dish is traditionally tempered with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chillies.

A dish liked not only in India but also outside
The popularity of Sambar has transcended regional boundaries and crossed geographical boundaries. It has become an iconic dish loved by people all over India. It has also received recognition at the international level.

According to food historian KT Achaya, the first mention of sambar is found in Tamil Nadu in the 17th century. The word Sambar is derived from the Tamil word Champaram. A Tamil inscription dated 1530 AD shows the use of the word Champaram along with other rice dishes or spice ingredients, describing a dish of vegetable pulses cooked.

what vegetables are added
All types of seasonal vegetables are added to sambar. Brinjal, ladyfinger, drumstick, pumpkin, curry leaves, gourd, green beans, tamarind and potatoes are all added to it. Cumin was definitely used along with spices and chilli, onion and garlic were also added. Overall, this dish was considered very healthy.

Sambar is rich in vitamins and minerals like iron, folate, zinc and magnesium. The herbs and spices used in sambar, such as curry leaves, mustard seeds and turmeric powder, are considered very healthy.

Different taste and different method in different states
In the southern states of India i.e. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, various vegetables and fruits are used along with sambar dal or coconut. Every region has its own way of making sambar. Spices may also vary. In areas of coastal Karnataka, coconut is also added to it. Grated coconut is ground with spices to make a paste which is mixed with boiled vegetables.

In different countries, there is a mixture of food ingredients in it according to that. For example, in Myanmar it is called Thizon Chinyay Hin, which means sour soup of mixed vegetables. Dry salted fishes were also added to it.

‘Sambhar’ is also very popular in British homes. Which is thick and meat is also added to it. It is usually a hot and sour dish made with lentils.

Sambar has great cultural importance in South Indian cuisine. The harmonious blend of the tartness of the tamarind, the warmth of the spices and the nuttiness of the dal and vegetables makes it a symphony of flavors that complements the light and delicious South Indian cooking.

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Tags: food, food 18, food diet, Food Recipe