South Asian Lentil Sambar, and some mixed veg, for lunch.
this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2026
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This looks delicious. Do you have a recipe?
Easiest way is buy MTR Sambar Soup Ready mix. It has the ground sambar spice and ground lentils ready to go. But you can just buy the spice only pack or start from scratch with Sambar spices and add your own lentils. For adding lentils usually you cook a few spoons down in boiling water and then mush them up like a paste.
Heat oil in a pot and saute onions, garlic, carrots and potatoes, and a chopped chilli pepoer or two if your spice pack is not already a hot one. Throw in green peppers and it all cook a bit with the lid on and stir occasionally. Once things have started to soften you can toss in a two handfuls of cherry tomamtoes, and cook those down. Before you start burning the veg in the pot add water (and lentils) to make the soup. Bring it up to a boil and add the spicemix. And let it simmer. MTR mix is 8 water to 1 measure of spicemix. You can add more if you like and it will go from thinner broth to a thicker consistency, but if you over spice it the spices will taste gritty and the flavour gets messed up. Simmer for 10 minutes, if you want to add frozen peas toss them in about halfway in the simmering.
Add salt to taste.
If you don't want to cook down tomatoes you can add some tomato sauce during the simmer. About half cup to a cup of sauce depending on pot size you are making. Or a large heaping spoim of tomato paste works too.
Ideally it comes out less like a tomato soup, and the veg and spice mix are the main source of taste.