Sambar (dish)
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Sambar or sambhar (Kannada: ಸಾಮ್ಬಾರ್, Tamil சாம்பார் (சாம்பாறு in Sri Lanka)), pronounced "saambaar", is a dish common in southern India and Sri Lanka, made of lentils (usually red gram, also called toor dal) and vegetables in a spicy tamarind and lentil flour soup base. Sambar is usually poured over or alongside steamed rice. In the south of India, Vada Sambar and Idli Sambar are popular breakfast foods. Several minor variants exist depending on the meal of the day, region, and the vegetable used. Sambar without lentils (but with vegetables or fish) is called Kozhambu in Tamil Nadu. There are major and minor variants of kozhambu (mor kozhambu, vetha kozhambu, rasavangi etc). Note that there are minor but subtle differences in preparation between all the variants (for instance, whether the vegetables are added to the tamarind water or vice versa, which does make them taste different).
Sambar with rice is one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. It is also served with idli, dosa and vada. It is not uncommon to eat sambar rice with appalam (papad).