Sambar is a popular lentil-based vegetable stew or chowder that is eaten in South India. It is made with pigeon peas (toor dal), tamarind, and a blend of spices. Sambar is an excellent source of protein and other nutrients.
What is Sambar?
Sambar originated in South India and is a staple in Tamil, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala cuisines. It is typically served as an accompaniment to dosa, idli, vada, and rice-based dishes. Sambar has a thick stew-like consistency and is made from pigeon peas (toor dal), vegetables like potato, tomato, onion, carrot and drumsticks, and flavored with sambar powder, tamarind, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and other spices.
The main ingredients in sambar are:
- Toor dal (split pigeon peas): The lentils provide protein and bulk to the stew.
- Vegetables: Potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, okra, and drumsticks are commonly used.
- Tamarind: Provides tanginess.
- Sambar powder: A blend of roasted spices like coriander, chili, fenugreek, cumin, and black pepper.
- Curry leaves: Lend aromatic flavor.
- Turmeric and mustard seeds.
In addition to these main ingredients, sambar can be enriched with seasonal vegetables, greens like spinach, and sometimes even dried fish, prawns or chicken for a more hearty dish.
Nutritional Value of Sambar
Sambar is a nutritious dish thanks to the varied ingredients used in its preparation. Here is the nutrient breakdown for a 100g serving of sambar:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 86 |
| Carbohydrates | 13.4g |
| Protein | 3.6g |
| Total Fat | 1.1g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.1g |
| Folates | 57 μg |
| Niacin | 0.400 mg |
| Pyridoxine | 0.067 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.070 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.073 mg |
| Vitamin A | 112 IU |
| Vitamin C | 16.6 mg |
| Sodium | 17 mg |
| Potassium | 246 mg |
| Calcium | 26 mg |
| Iron | 1.4 mg |
| Magnesium | 32 mg |
| Phosphorus | 70 mg |
| Zinc | 0.54 mg |
| Copper | 0.076 mg |
As the table shows, a 100g serving of sambar provides about 86 calories and is a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Protein
The main source of protein in sambar comes from the toor dal. A 100g serving provides around 3.6g of protein, which accounts for about 7% of the Daily Value. While not extremely high in protein, the lentils add a nutritious boost to the dish.
Carbohydrates
Sambar contains around 13.4g of carbohydrate per 100g. The toor dal and vegetable ingredients provide complex carbohydrates. The tamarind and spices add minimal sugars.
Fiber
A 100g serving of sambar supplies 4.1g of fiber, which is around 16% DV. The fiber comes mainly from the dal and vegetables. Getting adequate fiber promotes healthy digestion.
Vitamins and Minerals
Sambar provides a range of vitamins and minerals. It is a good source of B-vitamins including folate, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and pyridoxine. It also supplies vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. The vitamins and minerals come from the dal, vegetables, and spices used.
Protein Content of Common Sambar Ingredients
Let’s take a more detailed look at the main protein sources in sambar:
Toor Dal
Toor dal or pigeon peas supply the bulk of protein in sambar. Some key nutrition facts for 100g of boiled toor dal:
- Calories: 116
- Protein: 8.9g
- Carbs: 20.5g
So 100g of cooked toor dal contains around 9g of protein. In a typical sambar this would be reduced due to the added vegetables and liquid. But the toor dal remains the primary protein provider.
Mixed Vegetables
The commonly used sambar vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, beans, onion, okra, eggplant etc – add smaller amounts of protein. The protein content per 100g of some common sambar vegetables are:
- Potatoes: 2g
- Tomatoes: 1g
- Carrots: 0.9g
- Onions: 1.1g
- Okra: 2g
- Eggplant: 1g
- Beans: 1.8g
So the mixed vegetables will add around 1-2g protein per 100g serving to the sambar.
Other Ingredients
Ingredients like tamarind, spinach greens, spices, curry leaves etc contain minimal amounts of protein per 100g and would not significantly impact the total protein amount.
Summary
To summarize the main protein sources in sambar per 100g:
- Toor dal: 9g
- Mixed vegetables: 1-2g
Factor in that vegetables and dal are cooked in liquid, a 100g serving of sambar contains around 3.5-4g of protein coming predominantly from the toor dal.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The amount of protein an individual needs differs based on factors like age, gender, activity levels, health status, and goals. Here are some general protein intake recommendations:
Sedentary Adults
0.8g per kg of body weight, or about 10-15% calories from protein
Active Adults
1.0-1.5g per kg of body weight, or 15-25% calories from protein
Athletes & Bodybuilders
Up to 2.0g per kg of body weight, or 25-30% calories from protein
As an example, a 75kg sedentary man would need about 60g protein daily. A 75kg athlete would need up to 150g protein.
For the average person, adequate intake is about 50-60g daily. Higher amounts may provide benefits for active lifters, athletes, older adults for preserving muscle, or people trying to lose weight.
Is Sambar a Good Source of Protein?
While sambar is not the most protein-dense food, it does contribute valuable protein nutrition as part of a balanced diet. Here are some key considerations:
- A 100g serving of sambar provides around 4g of protein, which would supply about 7% of an average adult’s Recommended Daily Intake for protein.
- It provides complete protein with all the essential amino acids from the toor dal.
- The protein is provided along with dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Sambar consumed along with rice, idli, or dosa makes a well-rounded meal.
- Consuming 8-12 ounces or 225-350g of sambar would supply around 10-15g protein to help meet daily needs.
So while sambar is lower in protein than foods like lean meats, eggs, and dairy, it can certainly contribute valuable protein to one’s overall diet. It provides a nutritious plant-based protein option for vegetarian and vegan diets.
How to Make Your Sambar Higher in Protein
Here are some tips to pack more protein into your sambar:
- Use more toor dal. Up to 1 cup boiled toor dal per 3-4 servings.
- Add other protein-rich legumes like chana dal, masoor dal, moong dal.
- Include soy chunks, baked tofu for a plant-based protein boost.
- Add sambar powder generously as the spices contain protein.
- Include protein-rich vegetables like peas, beans, broccoli, mushrooms.
- Add spinach, kale, or other greens.
- Garnish with roasted nuts and seeds like peanuts, cashews, flaxseed.
- Stir in a dollop of yogurt or curd after cooking.
- Include a boiled egg alongside the sambar.
- Cook sambar with lentils, chicken, shrimp or fish.
Following a combination of these tips can help increase the protein content of your sambar to between 6-10g per serving, supplying around 15-25% of your Recommended Daily Intake for protein.
Simple High Protein Sambar Recipe
Here is an easy recipe to make a protein-boosted sambar at home:
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal
- 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, okra)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 tsp sambar powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
- Salt to taste
- Water as needed
Directions
- Rinse the toor dal and soak for 30 minutes. Drain water.
- Add dal and 3 cups water to pressure cooker. Cook for 2 whistles.
- Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Add onions and saute for 2 minutes until translucent.
- Add tomatoes, vegetables, turmeric powder, sambar powder and curry leaves. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add tamarind paste and cooked toor dal. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Adjust salt and water to get desired consistency.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
This easy sambar provides about 6-8g of protein per serving. Adjust the amount and type of dal and vegetables to modify the nutrition as desired.
Conclusion
A 100g serving of sambar provides around 3.5-4g of protein, predominantly coming from the toor dal. While not extremely high in protein, sambar can certainly contribute valuable nutrition to a balanced diet. Consuming typical serving sizes of 225-350g would supply 10-15g protein. The protein is complete, plant-based, and provided alongside a host of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Boost the nutrition by using more dal, legumes, protein-rich vegetables, greens, nuts and seeds. Sambar makes for a wholesome, protein-packed meal when accompanied by rice, dosa or idli.
