A long-running food argument in our home has been over the beginnings of what is perhaps Tamil Nadu's most famous stew: the sambar, or kuzhambu. You would recognize sambar if you've ever ordered a dosa or an idli at an Indian restaurant. It's the lentil and vegetable stew that comes alongside as a dipping sauce.
Lentil stews, or dals, can be found across regional cuisines in India, but what sets the Tamil Sambar apart is the tang of tamarind and the unique blend of spices that go into it. Sambar is one of the most-cooked foods in my kitchen because my Tamil husband, Desi, adores it more than any other food in the universe-- after all, it's what mom would cook.
Then one day I came upon an article that said the sambar may have actually originated centuries ago in the kitchens of Maharashtrians occupying Thanjavur, a region in Tamil Nadu. I went home and gleefully rubbed that bit of information in Desi's face.
