Saraswati Sukkal has come up with some simple ways on how to make the best of a sambar – and I highly encourage you to try them out.

1. The Best Sambar Ever

The best sambar I have ever tasted comes from Saraswati. I was in a hurry to catch a train and didn’t plan to go to the place for lunch, but my mom recommended that I try this restaurant. My mom’s comment had been “this is a lot better than the best sambar I have ever had and that I can’t taste”. I am a fan of sambar for several reasons as it’s a very mild taste with lots of sweetness of course. I have never tasted sambar that has a hint of cinnamon or any other spice. The spices used in this sambar are none besides a few ginger roots, cardamom, and cumin. I love the simplicity of this sambar and it is easy to make. It doesn’t take too long to assemble and it is easy to take the finished sambar back to your house and enjoy it with your favorite snacks.

Make Ahead Tip for this sambar: I made all of the filling and preparation for this Sautavan Sambar earlier in the day in advance in case I didn’t do any cooking the night before. You can store this filling for up to a week in the refrigerator and still be ready for the start of the next day: just pour enough into a plastic bag and put it in the fridge for a few minutes and then put it in the heat as directed in the recipe. If you want to give the filling a little kick it’s always good to have a little bit ready for the next day.

Serves 8

Sous Vide Sautavan Sambar with Ginger

1 tbsp grated ginger root

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/16 tsp green powder

1/16 lb ground cinnamon

1/16 tsp fennel seeds (mace)

1/16 tsp ground chilli powder

1/8 tsp ground cumin

Kosher Salt

Method

1. Preheat your broiler on medium and cut off any excess water from the ground ginger.