Sambhar

After posting masala dosa recipe... writing about the classic south indian dish sambhar becomes inevitably predictable. It is one such basic dish which is a great accompaniment for so many other south indian main-course or breakfast dishes like idlis, vadas, uttapams, dosas, appams and what not. It is so simple to prepare yet tastes delicious when made with a variety of vegetables like pumpkin, bottle gourd, carrot, drumstick, onion and tomato. You can choose the vegetables according to your or your family's liking or according to the availability of the vegetables.

Preparation time: 10 min.

Cooking time: 50 min.

Type: Main-course

Cuisine: South-indian

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup toor dal
• 4 cups vegetables (pumpkin, bottlegourd, carrot, cauliflower)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup tamarind pulp

For tempering:

• 1 tsp mustard seeds (sarson)
• 2-3 dry red chillies
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 pinch asafoetida (heeng)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (crushed)
• 1/2 cup onions (chopped)
• 1/2 cup tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tbsp sambhar masala
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil
• fresh coriander (to garnish)

METHOD:

1. Pressure cook dal with 4 cups of water and salt till 2 whistles.
2. Add diced vegetables and pressure cook for 1 whistle and immediately let all the pressure released from the cooker to stop the cooking process of the vegetables.
3. Add tamarind pulp in the cooked dal and vegetables mix and let it simmer.
4. Meanwhile prepare the tempering, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, let it splutter.
5. Add dry red chillies and curry leaves and asafoetida.
6. Next, add onions and ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 min.
7. Add sambhar masala, red chilli powder and salt and mix well.
8. Add tomatoes and cook till they are tender not mushy.
9. Add the tempering to the boiling sambhar and cook for couple of min. more.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with idli, dosa or rice alongwith coconut chutney.

Note:

• Consistency of the sambhar can be altered according to personal liking depending upon the amount of water added.
• To make tamarind pulp, take 2 tbsp full of tamarind and soak in half cup of water for 2-3 hrs and then extract the pulp easily using a strainer.