SAMBAR

Ingredients

Toor Dhal 150gms (pressure cooked)

Drum sticks - 2

Bringal - 2

Sambar onion - 5

Tomato - 1 (medium size)

Sambar powder - 5 tsp

Green chillies - 2

Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp

Asoefotida - 1 pinch

Gingelly oil - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Tamarind pulp - ½ cup

Method

Pressure cook toor dhal with 5 pieces of garlic, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, a pinch of asoefotida and 1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeerakam). Take a kadai and boil the vegetables with little salt and 2 tsp of sambar powder. When the vegetables are soft, add the cooked dhal into the vegetable mixture. Allow all the contents to boil for 5 minutes and then add the tamarind pulp. For tempering take another small kadai and add oil, few mustard seeds, fenugreek powder, asoefotida, curry leaves and 3 tsp of sambar powder. When the flavor arises and the masala turns light brown, transfer the tempered masala into the kadai with dhal and vegetables. Allow the entire mixture to boil for 2-3 mins. Garnish with coriander and serve.

P.S: Fenugreek Powder can be prepared in advance and stored. Fry in a dry kadai fenugreek, mustard and curry leaves and grind to fine powder. This can be used for sambar and other traditional south Indian preparations like Fish gravy and Kara Kozhambu. It gives an aromatic and rich flavor during tempering.