SAMBHAR

Red gram dal (tur dal)
picked over & rinsed
½ cup
Water 2 cups
Tamarind pulp, lemon- sized
piece
Hot water 1 cup
Green chilies, slit sideways 2 nos.
Chopped mixed veg 1 cup
(e.g. onion, radish, potato
etc,)
Water 1 cup
Ground turmeric ½ tsp.
Sambar powder 3 tsp.
Rice flour (optional) 1 tbsp.
Extra water 2 tbsp.
Small bunch of coriander
leaves, chopped to garnish
Salt As per taste
For Tempering
Brown mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Asafoetida powder ½ tsp.
Fenugreek seeds ½ tsp.
Cumin seeds ½ tsp.
Red chili, halved 1 no.
Oil 1 tbsp.
A few curry leaves
1. Wash red gram dal well. Drain. Place dal in a heavy saucepan. Cover with 2
cups water and bring to a boil. When boiling, cover pan with a lid, leaving slightly
ajar. Lower the heat, and simmer dal gently for 1½ hours. Set dal aside without
draining.
2. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Strain the tamarind water
into another container, squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the tamarind
pulp. Discard the pulp. Set the juice aside.
3. Select enough vegetables to fill approx.1 cup when chopped. Peel and prepare
as necessary. Chop into 1 cm ( ½ in) pieces. Set aside.
TEMPERING:
1. Heat 1½ tbsps. oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the mustard seeds, asafoetida
power, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, halved red chili, and a few curry leaves.
2. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the slit green chilies and chopped
vegetables. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
3. Add tamarind juice, 1 cup water, salt to taste, ground turmeric, and Sambar
Powder . Cover and simmer over a low heat until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the undrained cooked dal. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thoroughly
blended. If the sambar needs to be thickened, make a smooth paste of the rice
flour in 2 tbsps.extra water. Add to the sambar and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.