Sambar

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tuvar dal
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon Urad Dal
• 6 red chilies
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 5 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/4 coconut, grated
• 25-30 shallots, cleaned and peeled. (small red onions called sambar onions in india)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustards seeds
• 1 pinch hing
• 2 green chilies
• 2 cups chopped into big chunks vegetables, of choice (brinjals, carrots, french beans, pumpkin, yam)
• 50 ml tamarind pulp (lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/3 cup of water.)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons jaggery or brown sugar, can be substituted i guess
• oil
  

Directions

• Cook the tuvar dal till tender then mash.
• Heat 1 tblsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan and roast the fenugreek seeds till light red, then add 1/2 tsp urad dal and let it saute till they change colour too.
• Add the red chilli and coriander seeds.
• Add a 3 sprigs of curry leaves and the grated coconut and roast. They should all turn light brown and aromatic.
• Cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
• Heat 1 tblsp oil in a pan.
• Add the mustard seed.
• When they splutter add 1/2 tsp of urad dal and the hing.
• Fry for a minute.
• Add the onions and green chillies, slit and the rest of the curry leaves.
• Add your choice of vegetables Fry till you get a nice aroma.
• Add a little water.
• Cover and cook till the veges are done.
• Extract pulp from the tamarind and add to the vegetables.
• Add salt and crumbled jaggery (you can use brown sugar i think instead) and cook till the raw smell of the tamarind disappears.
• Add the mashed dal and the ground masala.
• Mix weel and add a little water if reqd.
• Simmer for a few mins.
• Serve with dosas, idlis or rice.