One staple across the tables of South India is the sambhar — a lentil-based vegetable stew specific to the region, typically made with pigeon peas, tamarind, and a blend of spices. The stew is relished with steaming hot rice and often papadums (a deep friend flattened snack).

But whilst the dish has thrilled palates for decades now, it is interesting how it got its name.

Legend has it that this dish was named after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. During one of his visits to the Thanjavur Marathas in Tamil Nadu, he was served

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