Sambar

Sambar

½ cup Tuvar dal

½ kg vegetables (drumsticks, raw banana, lady finger, white and red pumpkin, potatoes, brinjal) 

3 tomatoes

1 cup grated coconut, curry leaves, 1 tsp each of chana dal, 2-3 small onions (shallots)

2 spoon red chilli powder

1 spoon dhania powder

1 tsp sugar (optional)

1 tbsp methi-hing powder

Salt, haldi

Tamarind pulp

Curry leaves, red chillies, mustard, methi, for seasoning

Corriander leaves, for garnishing

Pressure cook dal with little haldi pdr and water.

in a kadai, add 1-2 tbsp oil, add chana dal, saute. Now add coconut, curry leaves, small onions, saute till coconut turns brown. Add dhania powder, red chilli powder and haldi. Grind the masala into a fine paste. Add ½ tomato while grinding. Now add this masala to the vegetables, add water and salt and cook. When it starts simmering, add the remaining tomatoes. When cooked, add dal. Add sugar. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add tamarind pulp and adjust water. Season with methi, mustard, curry leaves and red chillies (in that order). Garnish with corriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Note: If suran is added to the sambar, it should be cooked with the dal in cooker. If bhindi is added, it should be first shallow fried separately, then added, to avoid stickiness. In case of Ulli sambar (small onions), onions need to be sauteed

in oil first for some time.