Name: Brinjal Sambar Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6- 8 small purple Brinjal (Eggplant); 1/2 cup Toor dal; 1 medium-sized onion; 4 green chilies; 2 tbsp Sambar powder; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder; Small lemon sized tamarind or 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 5 curry leaves; 2 red chilies (optional); 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 tsp split black gram; 1 tbsp oil; 2 tsp grated jaggery (or use brown powder)

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If there is one vegetable that can be grilled, baked, roasted, stewed, or even stuffed and a vegetable rich in iron, calcium, and dietary fiber that's none other than eggplants! And that's the prime ingredient of my recipe today Brinjal Sambar or Eggplant Sambar"

A bowl with Brinjal Sambar is on the table

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About this recipe
Instant pot method
Stovetop method
Top tips
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Eggplant is a very common vegetable in south Asian, especially Karnataka cuisine. I have posted several recipes with Eggplants in the past like Brinjal Masala curry.

Today's Eggplant Sambar is yet another simple yet delicious option for Eggplant. It goes equally well with boiled rice or dosa.

Before starting the procedure, I want you to note that I used the recipe for Sambar Powder first to prepare the masala and then the Sambar. So if you do not have the Sambar Powder ready, please check out my post here. Preparation is key for a tasty meal such as this 😉

About this recipe

Sambar is a lentil-based recipe with a strong and unique aroma that can pique any appetite. My version of the sambar is made primarily from Toor dal (pigeon pea lentils), eggplant, tamarind & supporting spices.

If you are planning to try this today, plan it around steamed rice and a side dish like vegetable stir fry for a sumptuous meal!

Sambar gets its unique flavor from the addition of a special spice preparation (Sambar powder) and can either be purchased from a store or it can be prepared at home.

I prefer the home version as it packs fresh flavor. But if you are not sure about the process, you can always buy a pack. The spices you will need are coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal, and red chilies. Here’s a link to the sambar powder recipe that I prepared in Karnataka style.

Sambar can be cooked with a wide variety of vegetables as the prime ingredient. Some commonly used vegetables are Eggplant (Brinjals), Pumpkin, Okra, Onion, Radish, Potatoes, French beans, etc. The proportion of tamarind and spice would vary depending on what the vegetables offer. Like an excellent pair for rice as well as dosa or idli.

Eggplant Sambar is an excellent low-fat and vegan option you should try today!

Instant pot method

Let us see how we can prepare this with the Instant Pot. Being one of my family favorites, I have prepared this numerous times over the years on a stovetop.

Since the time I purchased the Instant Pot, I have not looked back at any other option because it makes it a lot easier.

As often as I prepare this dish, I decided to update my old stovetop recipe with the new and modern version with the Instant Pot. I still have the stovetop version included, if you do not have an Instant Pot yet.

Here is my step-by-step instant pot version of brinjal/ Eggplant sambar

Step one: Add oil to the inner pot in your Instant Pot and press the sauté option. As the oil heats up, add mustard seeds and urad dal.

When the mustard seeds start to sputter, add curry leaves and green chilies and stir well for a minute. Add onions and continue to saute for at least a minute.

An instant pot filled with spices, oil and chopped onions

Step two: Add brinjal pieces, turmeric, and sambar powder and stir well for an even mixture.

Add split Toor dal (split pigeon pea), tamarind, 2 ½ cup water, and salt.

An instant pot is filled with brinjal and sambar powder

Step three: Add split Toor dal (split pigeon pea), tamarind, 2 ½ cup water, and salt.

Close the lid of the instant pot. Turn the steam release handle to the “sealing” position. Press on the “Pressure cooking” setting and set the timer for 6 minutes. When time is up open the lid using 10 minutes natural release option.

Garnish with cilantro and Eggplant Sambar is ready!

A pot is filled with Brinjal sambar and lentils

Stovetop method

Saucepan's version of eggplant sambar is straightforward. Check my step-by-step pictures below in the comment box.

For this method, I chopped the eggplants along the length to get long pieces and cooked them in boiling water.

The lentils will have to be cooked separately under pressure for up to 4 whistles. If you were using an Instant pot, cook the Toor dal for 6 minutes under high pressure, and open the lid using the natural release method.

Top tips

use small green or purple eggplants for this recipe
Wash and soak the brinjals in the water after its chopped, this help in retaining the color
Use tamarind or tamarind paste do not skip this
Add jaggery to enhance the flavor, you could substitute with brown sugar