Sambar

“Sambar” is one of the most incredible south indian dish. The preferred dish in South India cuisine consisting of yellow lentil called Tuvar dal (toor dal) and vegetables such as, brinjal, drum-stick, bitter gourd (pavakkai), potato, ladies finger etc. Sambar is also perfect for meals and make a good combination with dosas, idlies also.
I am using onions and tomatoes in this recipe. My family loves it. I am also making fresh sambar powder for this recipe. This recipe is here because it is simply loved by me and my hubby.

Ingredients:

Sambar Dal/Toor Dal/ Tuvar Dal – 1/2 cup

Onion – 1, medium

Carrot – 1 medium

Lady’s Finger – 5 pieces

Drum Sticks – 2 pieces

Beans – 6 pieces

Potato – 1, small

Tomato – 1/2 number

Green Brinjal – 1, medium

Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon,

Sambar Powder– 4 tsp

Asafoetida powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Tamarind ball – 3-4, medium pieces

Refine Oil - 2tsp. (U can use coconut oil)

Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves – 1 sprig,

Dried Red Chilly whole – 1 piece

Method :

• Put dal and chopped onions in a pressure cooker. Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and let it cook till 2 whistles in the pressure cooker.another 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
• Meanwhile cut the other vegetables – carrot, lady’s finger, drum stick, beans, potato, tomato and green brinjal.
• After the contents in pressure cooker is cooked and all the steam has escaped, next add chopped vegetables. Add another 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
• Put the tamarind in 1 cup water and let it soften for sometime. After about  5 minutes, extract the juice from tamarind and remove the solid pieces of tamarind.
• Now after the pressure in the cooker escapes, transfer the cooked vegetables into the same vessel that has cooked dal. Add the tamarind juice to this. This vessel will be used for cooking sambar.
• In a kadai, heat 4 teaspoons of sambar powder for about 2-3 minutes.
• Now put the sambar powder in vessel that will be used for cooking sambar so that it mixes with dal and vegetables.
• Add salt to taste. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of Asafetida powder. Mix the contents well and now boil it.
• After it boils, remove it from flame and in another kadai, heat a little refine oil. Once the oil is hot, add a little mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add finely chopped small onions, curry leaves and red whole chilly. Sauté till onions turn light brown. Now add chopped tomato, when it smash, then add sambar will the contents of the kadai.
• Yummy sambar is ready to serve with plain rice, Idli and Dosa.