Sambar / Sambhar

• 1 cup tur dal, soaked for about 20 min
• 1 to 1.5 cups vegetables of choice
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1.5 cups tomatoes, chopped
• A lemon sized ball tamarind, soaked in 1/3 cup warm water for 20 mins
• 2 to 2.5 tbsp sambar powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Salt as required

For the Tempering (tadka/chaunk) of Sambar

• 2-3 tbsp oil
• 2 to 3 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds/rai
• A pinch or two of asafoetida
• 12 to 15 curry leaves

Method

Step 1

Soak tamarind and toor dal beforehand as mentioned.

Step 2

Boil dal with turmeric powder in 2.5 to 3 cups water in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles on medium flame. Mash the dal if not mushy already.

Step 3

Add the onions, tomatoes and the vegetable of your choice in a pan. Pour to it about 3/4 cup water and add sambar powder and salt. Cover and cook this mixture on medium flame for 15 mins. This way, the sambar powder’s flavours infuse well into the vegetables, onion and tomato. Add a little chilli powder if you like the sambar spicy.

Step 4

Meanwhile, extract juice from the soaked tamarind. If soaked for sufficient time, you should have about 1/4 cup thick tamarind extract.

Step 5

Now, add the cooked dal and tamarind extract to the mixture in the pan. Add some more water if the mixture is too thick and let it boil. Remove from the heat.

Step 6

In another small pan, pour oil and wait for a minute for it to heat up. Add to it mustard, jeera, hing and red chillies. Add the curry leaves once mustard starts to splutter.

Step 7

Pour the oil and contents into the sambar and mix well.

Step 8

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

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