Sambar

Ingredients:

Tuvar Dal (Red gram) - 1 cup, Red Onion - 1/2, Green chillies slit - 2
Tamarind - ½ lemon sized ball, Oil – as required, Salt to taste

Vegetables (peeled and cut into bite sized pieces )

2 brinjals, 1 small yam, 1 small red pumpkin, 3 french beans, 1 carrot, 1 potato,
2 drumsticks


For Sambar Masala, grind and mix well the following

Red chillies – 5 to 6 , Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp, Fenugreek Seeds – 1 tsp,
Trumeric Powder – 1 tsp, Asafoetida - ½ tsp, Cumin powder -1/4 tsp(Optional)

For tempering

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp, Red chillies - 3, Curry Leaves - a sprig. Oil-as needed
Garlic-3 or 4 cloves

Method:

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for sometime,squeeze and take the extract from it. Keep aside. Cook the dal in a pressure cooker,adding required water,salt,1/2 tsp of ghee/oil,sliced onion and green chillies. When the dal is done, remove the lid and add the tamarind extract, stir and simmer for some more time ,so that the dal is mashed well. Now add the cut vegetables into the cooker and cook till they are done, adding the sambar masala and extra water(if required). Once the vegetables are cooked, keep the cooker aside. In a frying pan heat oil, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add red chillies, curry leaves, and the garlic (just hit them a little to break the skin). Fry for a minute. Add this to the sambhar, mix well and simmer for few more minutes and serve hot.