Sambhar and its ingredient harmony

Sambhar is known to every Indian as is Chai to everyone in the world. Just like Chai, the Indian vernacular for spiced Tea, that has blotched every spot in the world, Sambhar has stained every Indian shirt. Oh! Am I giving away my clumsy nature here?

So classical is this concoction that every family in South India prides of its own version of recipe. There are breakfast Sambhaars tailored to Idli-Dosa, indigenous Sambhaars native to the southern states, main-course Sambhaars that go with rice, and starter Sambaars -- roughly translated to lentil soups served in some "Woodlandy" restaurants.

If truly these versions are so different and impressive, should we call them all Sambhar? There's something fundamental to sambhar that has held the consensus of a diverse land for ages.

The basic ingredients never change -- Toor daal (pigeon peas), Tomato, Chilly, Tamarind. But why add tomato and tamarind, while they both taste sour anyway? Something subtle yet quite disparate in taste calls for the inclusion. This is the difference you see between tomato-based Italian dishes and their Indian close-counterparts. The sourness of tomato is more acidic and hence stronger, while that of tamarind is milder and sweeter. However, the marriage of tomato and tamarind does bring a lot of sourness. Here comes the daal -- the mitigator and binder. This binding effect is what gives sambhar a base and structure.

Traditionally and aptly, sambhar is made with Toor daal. However, if you're daring enough to experiment with other daals -- like Channa or Urad, atleast dare not to taste them -- simply for the fact that, if you are so used the typical taste of Sambhar, a different daal could be glarring to your tastebuds. Not that there's anything wrong with that!