Sambar - A South Indian Pride

A stew with Lentil and Vegies

Sambar is yet another south Indian delicacy. It is a wholesome meal when accompanied with rice or Indian rice crepes dosa. This is one stew made every other day in most of the households in South India. There are a few versions of making it..here is one of them.

Ingredients :
To pressure cook or boil:
1 cup - Toor Dhal/Tuvaram Paruppu/Kandi pappu
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. red chilli powder
2-3 garlic pods
2 cups water
1 tsp oil

Vegies :
1 large tomato
2 drumsticks cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup each of chopped mixed vegetables, beans, carrot,radish, potato,
1 cup Shallots or pearl onions
2 brinjals cut length wise
1/2 cup bottle gourd cubed

Others :
1 lemon size ball of tamarind soaked in water and juice extracted
1 tbsp. jaggery or sugar
2 tbsp. sambar masala
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

For tempering:
1 tbsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds
3 whole red chillies
2-3 flakes garlics slightly crushed
2 stalks curry leaves
1/2 onion
A pinch of asafoetida.
Procedure:
Put together the ingredients to pressure cook and cook for 15 minutes or till the dhal is fully cooked. When cool add salt and mash well and set aside.
Soak the tamarind in lukewarm water and extract pulp.
Add all the vegetables to the tamarind water along with salt and pressure cook till vegetables are fully cooked.
To this add the mashed dhal and mix well.
Add the jaggery and dissolve it.
Now add the sambar powder boil for another 2 minutes and then add coriander leaves.
In a separate vessel heat oil and add all the tempering ingredients fry and add the tempering to the boiling sambar.
Remove from heat and serve hot with rice accompanied with any veg/non-veg fry/vepudu/poriyal,varuval,appalam or have with dosa.