Sambar is one of most popular south Indian curry dishes, there are many dishes like idli, vada, dosa, etc with which people like to have sambar. Just as north Indians like dal similarly south Indians like sambar. In fact, it is the curry that is made from a combination of toor dal with different spices and vegetables.
But you will be amazed to know that one of the most popular south Indian curry dishes originated from Maharashtra.
History of sambar
So, the story of sambar origin goes like this. There was a ruler of Thanjavur province of Maharashtra called Shahuji. One day one of the greatest Maratha rulers of all time Sambhaji came to visit him. So, the king asked his chef to come up with a unique dish. The chef prepared a curry dish mixed toor dal, tamarind extract, and other spices and vegetables and presented it before the royals. Everyone instantly liked that dish and in the honour of the guest, this dish was named as sambar. This was the first attempt of making it and after that this Sambar recipe became so popular that it became one of the most common dishes in many of the Indian states.
Health benefits of eating sambar
Eating sambar also has many health benefits that most of the people don’t know about. Some of the health benefits are as follows:
- Protein rich
Since sambar is made from the pulses which are a good source of protein this dish is best for people looking for protein rich diet. For vegetarians or vegans, this is the best source of protein.
- Filled with fibres
The recipe of Sambar also contains different vegetables which are a good source of antioxidants and fibres. And since fibre rich diet is good for cholesterol and heart so eating sambar can keep you healthy and lively even in your old age.
- Easily digestible
Since sambar is a curry dish it is easy for your stomach to digest it. It also makes for a good weight loss food. There are many combinations of vegetables and spices that you can experiment with to make it the best food if you are trying to lose weight.
With lots of health benefits, this curry is one of the best curry dishes that you can try. You can combine it with rice, dosa, idli, etc and enjoy this delicious curry the way you like. The popularity of this dish is not limited to south India only now as this dish has made its way to all over India. And now there are many places outside India also where people love to have this dish as their daily healthy diet.
